12dz Chapter 321 - 320: An Alternative Method
Chapter 321 - 320: An Alternative Method
The bottom of Li Shui Lake.
Green algae swayed, and schools of fish swam by.
Sunlight shone down from the lake’s surface, its shimmering rays dancing in the water.
The Blood Spirit Array operated, ceaseless and unending.
The strange Array Patterns on the altar were still active.
Now that the Black Tortoise Array no longer concealed it, more aquatic life could approach the Array. A few koi, flicking their tails, casually wandered within three meters of it.
Suddenly!
CRACK!
The Array activated in a flash!
The koi’s blood was drained on the spot. Blood burst from its golden scales, and its plump body shriveled rapidly.
In the blink of an eye, it was reduced to a piece of dried fish.
It slowly drifted down to the sandy bottom.
Sinking into the thick silt.
"So this is the Blood Spirit Array."
Qin Yang moved a little closer, carefully observing the Array Patterns on the surface. His brow furrowed. ’Weak creatures die the moment they get near. No wonder they used the Black Tortoise Array to hide it... The one who set up this altar was no simpleton either, to have been able to bind the Blood Dao Laws to it...’
"Young Master, be careful,"
Liu Wushuang took a step forward, shielding Qin Yang, and asked in a low voice, "Have you decided what to do with it?"
"Do with it?"
Qin Yang frowned.
As for how to handle the Blood Spirit Array...
’I really haven’t figured it out.’
’After all, the implications are just too enormous.’
’If I shut it down, I’d be ripping out the very foundation of all Star Martial Artists in the world, essentially shaking the foundations of our current civilization.’
’It would inevitably lead to an irreversible situation!’
’But activating it is equally out of the question.’
’Activating the Blood Spirit Array would open a path to the world on the other side of the black hole, allowing experts from the Otherworld to descend. It’d be no different from letting a wolf in the door!’
’I’m caught between a rock and a hard place!’
Qin Yang pondered for a moment.
He realized the only thing he could do was maintain the status quo and try not to agitate the Array.
’But working with the Beast God Sect and the Venerable Alliance, following their path... that’s absolutely impossible.’
Meng Tianxuan and the others had used the blood of living beings to perform sacrifices to this Blood Spirit Array for years. While it might maintain the current situation, it was ultimately an act of desperation.
’You can’t hide a fire with paper forever...’
’The more blood sacrifices fed to the Array, the higher its absorption threshold might become.’
’Today, sacrificing one or two Postnatal Realm Martial Artists might work.’
’But what about tomorrow?’
’The year after that?’
’What about a hundred years from now?’
’If this goes on and on...’
’Innate.’
’Grandmaster.’
’Earth Venerable...’
’They’d all be thrown in, one after another.’
’Right now, the highest Realm in the world is the Celestial Venerable Realm, but no one can predict the Blood Spirit Array’s consumption limit. What if it keeps growing stronger...’
’Where would we find so many people to feed the Blood Spirit Array?’
’Perhaps in a hundred years, the Array will reach its limit, meeting the conditions to open the Celestial Gate!’
’Seen this way, blood sacrifices are definitely not a good solution.’
"At least, until we reach the final step, I can’t make a choice."
Qin Yang murmured to himself.
"Young Master?"
Seeing Qin Yang lost in a daze, Liu Wushuang called out to him tentatively, "Have you figured it out now? How to handle this Blood Spirit Array?"
"Yeah, I have a rough idea."
Qin Yang snapped out of his thoughts, stroking his chin as he slowly began to speak. "The current sacrifices are too extreme. My idea is to find an alternative method."
"An alternative method?"
"Mhm,"
Qin Yang nodded lightly. "I want to try to change the Blood Spirit Array, reverse its Laws from the very foundation, or perhaps make it operate in a different way..."
"A brilliant idea, Young Master!"
Upon hearing his idea, Liu Wushuang immediately clapped her hands, unable to hold back her amazement. "If you really can find an alternative, then the Blood Spirit Array could be maintained without killing, while still sustaining the Star Force of all the Star Martial Artists in the world. That would truly be a great deed of immense merit..."
"Yes, let’s hope so."
Qin Yang sighed and turned his gaze back to the altar.
’If I could truly control the Blood Spirit Array, then perhaps one day, I too could glimpse the secrets of the Upper Realm.’
’No matter how I look at it...’
’As long as I’m in control of the Blood Spirit Array, I can ascend to the Upper Realm and witness a higher Realm.’
’I wouldn’t lose out either way!’
But just then!
BOOM!
A thunderous roar suddenly erupted!
Layer upon layer of shockwaves traveled swiftly through the lake, their force churning up countless clouds of dust from the bottom.
The attack came without warning!
In an instant, the entirety of Li Shui Lake was thrown into turmoil. The underwater world trembled, silt was stirred up, and everything descended into chaos!
SPLAT! SPLAT!
The weaker schools of fish exploded into clouds of blood mist!
"What is this!?"
Qin Yang’s brow furrowed. He shot his gaze upward, and with the feedback from his Spiritual Power, he could immediately feel a terrifying aura pressing down from above.
"This is bad, Young Master! Someone is attacking the lake bottom!"
Liu Wushuang looked up nervously at the shimmering surface above. She gripped her Profound Bow tightly, standing guard by Qin Yang’s side. "What should we do now?"
"Let’s go. We’ll head up and see what’s going on!"
......
On the surface of the lake.
A colossal beast-like shadow floated in the air.
Its figure blotted out the sky. A Celestial Venerable Dharma Aspect had formed, and it was continuously hammering the lake’s surface, sending up a burgeoning cloud of mist.
"Still not coming out!"
Nangong Li’s eyes were bloodshot. He channeled all his power into his Dharma Aspect, frantically bombarding Li Shui Lake.
RUMBLE!
Under the tremendous impact, the lake water surged over its banks, and waves tens of meters high exploded into the air.
The subterranean river below was disturbed and erupted, turning into a geyser.
Rows of houses and buildings collapsed. Surging waves, one after another, crashed against the buildings on both banks in overlapping, dark swells.
Water flooded the streets, and cars were swept away in the churning lake water.
"Still not coming out?!"
Nangong Li’s voice was hoarse, and his eyes were completely bloodshot. He madly raised his palm and slammed it into the water’s surface, his hair and beard standing on end, looking like a crazed demon.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Waves shot up from the surface!
His eyes were fixed on the lake, scanning every inch of the churning waves. He dared not miss a single movement, terrified of losing track of the person at the bottom of the lake.
’The Blood Spirit Array is a matter of utmost importance; it concerns the Beast God Sect’s thousand-year plan and cannot be allowed to fail!’
’If it’s destroyed because of this, Lord Beast God will certainly not let me off lightly!’
"A bunch of rats!"
At this thought, Nangong Li’s face flushed red. Looking at the churning surface of Li Shui Lake, he felt a knot of frustration tightening in his chest.
’I never would have imagined that in the short time I was away...’
’...somebody would...’
’...sneak in and attack my base?’
’If it weren’t for this interruption, I’d be on my way to meet Lord Beast God with Elder Li right now!’
"I’d like to see just who you are!?"
Nangong Li roared,
BANG! BANG! A series of thunderous explosions rang out.
His Star Force solidified and slowly pressed down on the lake. A mountain-sized palm of immense power plunged into the water, searching deeper and deeper.
Sand and stone were churned up from the lakebed.
It seemed boundless, a universe within the palm spanning for miles. The riverbed shook violently!
At that moment.
Suddenly!
An indifferent voice came from beneath the lake’s surface.
"Nangong Li, you dare show your face again. This time, I’ll make sure you don’t leave."
The voice was as loud and clear as a great bell, calm yet resolute, and it made Nangong Li shudder in an instant.
"Who is it?!"
The moment the words fell.
BOOM!
The giant palm that had plunged into the water suddenly trembled. An extremely powerful force surged up, slamming into its center and directly tearing at the Dharma Aspect’s projection.
In that instant, the lake water boiled!