Chapter Forty-Eight: Breakthrough, Second-Rank Junior Array Master

Song Changsheng weaved and dodged, evading every attack, while his mind raced furiously. Based on the pattern with which the grand formation attacked, he had already discerned that this was a second-grade, low-tier “Earth-Wood Cosmos Array.” This array could blend perfectly into mountains and forests, constantly drawing upon earth and wood spiritual energy to strengthen itself.

Although the array was common, its power lay in the endless cycle of earth and wood, enabling it to wear down those trapped within through relentless assaults. Yet Song Changsheng remained unflustered. The array’s high grade only meant its creator’s cultivation couldn’t surpass the Qi Refining stage; otherwise, they would never have needed to set such a trap for him.

So long as the foe was not of the Foundation Establishment level, he still had a sliver of hope thanks to the second-grade talisman in his hand.

“Water Dragon’s Chant!”

Song Changsheng spread his arms wide. Torrents of water spiritual energy gathered at his feet, swiftly forming a lifelike water dragon behind him that let out a piercing roar. The surging vines rushing toward him were shattered to pieces by the dragon’s cry, but in the next instant, countless earthen spikes erupted from the ground.

Song Changsheng frowned. This couldn’t go on; sooner or later, he would be worn down to death within the formation.

“Now, the only way out is to break the array. But the formation is vast and ever-changing. How can I locate its core?”

After all, he was only a first-grade master of formations; breaking a second-grade array was exceedingly difficult.

“I must quiet my mind and study the array patterns if I hope to break it. But with the formation’s attacks unceasing, I must first ensure I’m undisturbed.

Wait—the Lu Wu Bell!”

A sudden inspiration flashed through Song Changsheng’s mind. He produced a bell-shaped artifact, the Lu Wu Bell, and whispered, “Now, only you can lend me your strength.”

With a sweep of his arm, the copper bell instantly expanded, enveloping Song Changsheng and blocking all attacks outside. A true spiritual artifact—though Song Changsheng’s cultivation was insufficient to wield its full powers, its own spirit allowed it to perform simple tasks cooperatively.

With the Lu Wu Bell’s protection, Song Changsheng finally had a chance to properly study the array. He traced a simple formation pattern on his palm, pressed it to the ground, and instantly the array’s previously concealed patterns were revealed.

Extending his spiritual sense, Song Changsheng began deducing the array’s paths from what lay before him. It was a challenge, but also an opportunity.

Outside the formation, an elder donned in the robes of the Earthfire Sect frowned. He could see everything within the array. He’d thought killing Song Changsheng was only a matter of time, never expecting his adversary to possess such a treasure—this was troublesome.

“Hurry into the formation and strip that turtle shell off him!” the elder ordered the surrounding Earthfire Sect disciples coldly.

“Yes, sir!” Four disciples answered in unison, leaping into the array to attack the Lu Wu Bell.

On a distant battlefield, Wang Wanzhou gripped the Seven-Colored Glazed Mirror in his left hand and the Gale Sword in his right, holding his own against two foes without faltering.

Cheng Yufei and Du Huating had no intention of fighting him to the death, merely seeking to keep him from escaping the field.

Suddenly, a streak of light shot from the horizon, heading straight for Cheng Yufei’s face. Startled, he cried, “Soulbreaker Spike?!”

He quickly summoned a small round shield to his chest, blocking the deadly attack just in time. Out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed a foot-long, pitch-black metal spike flashing past.

“Song Luyao?” Du Huating’s expression grew grim.

The abrupt turn of events forced the three combatants to pull apart, all watching the east with caution, where two imposing figures were rapidly approaching.

Wang Wanzhou burst out laughing. “Your death is at hand! Prepare to die!”

With that, he lunged at the pair once more.

The newcomers’ figures became clear—it was the Third Elder Song Luyao and Fourth Elder Song Luhuai, both faces dark with anger as they joined the battle without hesitation.

The fight instantly shifted from two-on-one to three-on-two, leaving Cheng Yufei and Du Huating struggling and gradually losing ground.

“Damn it! What are the Qiu clan’s people doing? They can’t even block the way!” Cheng Yufei was both furious and alarmed. He had anticipated the Song clan’s intervention and arranged for the Qiu clan to stall them until sunrise. Yet, not long had passed before the blockade was broken, leaving him truly on the back foot.

Now, Cheng Yufei had lost all thought of killing Song Changsheng—his only concern was how to escape with his life at the lowest possible cost.

—

Within the array, Song Changsheng was unaware that his plight had already sparked a bloody clash among Foundation Establishment cultivators from all four great clans.

He had reached a critical juncture in his deductions about the array.

Clang, clang, clang—

Outside the bell, the grand formation and the attacks of several Earthfire Sect disciples fell ceaselessly upon the Lu Wu Bell, causing it to tremble violently.

As the saying goes, a fortress besieged too long must fall—gradually, the spiritual light on the bell’s surface dimmed, until at last, a fierce barrage shattered it, reducing it once more to the size of a small bell.

The Earthfire Sect disciples exulted and moved to finish Song Changsheng, but as they closed in, he suddenly opened his eyes and flung out a yellowing talisman.

It burned swiftly in the air, transforming into an enormous spectral palm that descended upon the four disciples.

“A second-grade, low-tier talisman—Giant Spirit Palm?!”

Terror-stricken, the disciples scattered, but this strike was the equivalent of a full-force attack from an early Foundation Establishment cultivator—far from easy to evade.

Two Qi Refining ninth-level disciples were instantly crushed to pulp. The other two, at the peak of Qi Refining, fared little better; bones snapped and tendons tore, leaving them crippled for years to come.

Seizing his chance, Song Changsheng sprang lightly to the left. Spiritual light flared at his right foot as he swept a seemingly ordinary stone with a whirlwind kick.

He had found the array’s core!

With a crash, the stone disintegrated. At once, Song Changsheng felt the world brighten; dense patterns surfaced at his feet, only to collapse in the next instant.

The second-grade, low-tier “Earth-Wood Cosmos Array”—broken!

A spurt of blood erupted from the Earthfire Sect’s formation master as the backlash struck him. His aura plummeted as he gazed at Song Changsheng in disbelief. “So… you… you’re a second-grade formation master?”

Song Changsheng shook his head calmly. “Before entering the array, I was only a first-grade master. I owe you my thanks—facing life and death, I crossed that threshold ahead of time.”

“Heh… no wonder Elder Cheng and the others wished to eliminate you. Truly a prodigy. It’s a pity I lacked the skill to rid our sect of such a grave threat.”

The old man’s eyes burned with bitter resentment as he spoke through gritted teeth.

“You very nearly succeeded. Had it not been for the Lu Wu Bell, I would already be a dead soul within your array. Rest now—may you never again be Song clan’s enemy in the next life.”

Song Changsheng sighed softly, flicking a thread of spiritual force that pierced the old man’s skull. The elder’s pupils instantly glazed over.