Chapter 194: The Perilous Secret Realm and the Immortal-Binding Rope

Advanced chapter join my patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/caleredhair you will get free chapter to read until chapter 206

After the army had been marching for five or six days, Qin Haoxuan, who was meditating in a carriage, suddenly felt the procession come to a halt. Just as he was wondering what was happening, a soldier came running to report. “Reporting to the High Immortal, our vanguard was pursuing the routed enemy army and charged into the canyon ahead, but they have not yet come out. Many scouts were sent in, but none have returned. It is as if they have all vanished, and we do not know if they are alive or dead. The general feels that there is something strange ahead and has sent me to ask for your guidance.”

A strange feeling rose in Qin Haoxuan’s heart. He asked, “Oh? What is so strange?”

“The general says that this canyon was not on the military map before. This area should be a hilly region. We don’t know why such a large canyon has suddenly appeared, blocking our path forward.”

After hearing the soldier’s report, Qin Haoxuan and Xing exchanged a look. They also sensed that something was not right.

He dismissed the soldier, took out the Thousand-Mile Mirror, and, after infusing it with a trace of spiritual energy, used it to examine the strange canyon. The moment the mirror’s view turned to the canyon, Qin Haoxuan was shocked to find that it was covered in a thick fog. He tried to increase the infusion of spiritual energy, and the fog in the mirror finally thinned slightly, gradually revealing the scene within.

In the very center of the canyon was a large array. It was complex and strange. Looking down from above through the mirror, he could see that the array was in the shape of a Yin-Yang Bagua, but it didn’t seem to be a pure one; it had a somewhat evil air about it. There seemed to be some lights and shadows floating within the array, but he couldn’t see them clearly. Feeling that the image was not distinct enough, he added more spiritual energy. At this, the mirror’s view became a little clearer. He could now see that within the array, strange-colored runes were floating up from the ground, pervading the air, then gradually splitting into several smaller runes before merging back into the great array, a truly bizarre sight.

And it was obvious that this array was not as simple as it appeared on the surface. Through the image displayed by the mirror, it could be seen that there was a green jade pillar at each of the eight cardinal directions of the array, and another one in the center. These nine green jade pillars were sunk deep into the ground; the exposed parts alone were a hundred zhang high and as thick as ten men holding hands. They were carved with strange, ancient seal characters and patterns of exotic beasts. These nine pillars were radiating a dense spiritual energy, echoing each other from afar. They were the backbone of this array.

The entire formation gave Qin Haoxuan a sinister and gloomy feeling. A hidden, malevolent aura surged like an undercurrent within it. The baleful qi in the array was like a flood or a savage beast, ready to devour anyone who entered, making him feel extremely uncomfortable.

Beside him, Xing, who was also looking at the great array, had his mouth wide open. When it came to arrays, he was far more knowledgeable than Qin Haoxuan. While Qin Haoxuan could only tell that this array was extraordinary, Xing could see just how dangerous it was, though he couldn’t yet grasp its full extent.

Xing said to Qin Haoxuan with a serious expression, “This array is not simple. It is extremely dangerous.”

“What’s so dangerous about it?” After getting a clear look at the great array, Qin Haoxuan felt that it was out of the ordinary, but his own knowledge of arrays was only superficial. How could he possibly discern its profound mysteries?

Xing pondered and said, “This array is laid out with nine green jade pillars. Their positions are the key to influencing the array, giving rise to eighty-one different transformations, each one of them extremely perilous. As for the specific dangers, I dare not say without experiencing it firsthand.”

“Then forget it… let’s find a way to go around it…”

Even Xing could not be sure of the dangers of this array, which made Qin Haoxuan feel it was even more unusual. Just as he was guessing at its power, another scout sent by Su Wu’s army charged into the canyon. The moment he stepped past the entrance, before he was even close to the great array, a huge suction force suddenly pulled him in, sucking him directly to the center of the formation. After being pulled in, he was instantly refined into a pool of blood by the bloody, baleful qi that emanated from the array. The pool of blood was quickly absorbed by the earth, vanishing without a trace. Not even a wisp of his soul remained; it too had been directly refined by the array.

Xing’s face paled, and he sighed. “This array inverts Yin and Yang, reverses the five elements, subverts the eight trigrams, and throws the universe into chaos. It is exquisitely and miraculously crafted and can give rise to eighty-one different killing moves. I was just guessing which one it was. From its performance just now, it is highly likely the Blood Soul Refining Array of Baleful Qi.”

Although Qin Haoxuan didn’t know what that was, the name alone was enough to make his skin crawl. He and Xing exchanged a look and began to calculate. Any living thing that entered this canyon would be immediately sucked in and refined into blood. It was an extremely domineering and malevolent place.

Looking at the scene in the mirror, Xing said in a low voice, “The array is full of bloody, baleful qi, the perfect environment for some powerful demons to cultivate. I wonder if there are any hiding inside… If there are, they won’t be simple.”

“It’s still the same plan: go around,” Qin Haoxuan stated immediately. “With our cultivation, to go in would be to just deliver our heads. I just don’t know why such a vicious array would suddenly appear here.”

Xing smiled. “The world is vast and full of wonders. For us cultivators and demon practitioners, places of certain death like this are countless. That’s why you must be careful at all times when you’re out. A single misstep can cost you your life.”

“You don’t know what’s going on here either?”

Xing nodded with great certainty. “I don’t. But I can be sure that it’s very dangerous in there. If I were at my peak strength, I might dare to go in and check it out. But in my current state, I would absolutely be killed and turned into a pool of blood by this great array if I went in.”

Qin Haoxuan sucked in a cold breath. Even Xing, with all his strange treasures and recovering strength, didn’t dare to enter. If an ordinary person, or he himself, were to go in, wouldn’t it be certain death? “I remember the sect elders once said that in the cultivation world, danger and opportunity coexist,” he continued. “Could there be some fated encounter in this great array?”

Xing sneered with some disdain. “The words of your sect seniors are bullshit! It’s true that danger and opportunity coexist, but to charge into a Blood Soul Refining Array of Baleful Qi without sufficient strength, how is that any different from committing suicide? Fated encounters are not so easily obtained.”

Xing’s words made Qin Haoxuan ponder for a moment. He called over a soldier and said, “Go and tell your general that the canyon ahead is extremely dangerous. Do not send any more people to investigate. However many go in, that’s how many will die. I have no way to break it.” The soldier was horrified and immediately ran to report.

During the time that Su Wu’s army was temporarily camped outside the canyon, soldiers from another of the Soaring Dragon Nation’s armies were constantly fleeing past their camp. Judging by these routed soldiers, it was clear that their own army had been completely scattered. Su Wu sent out a team to capture a few of them.

“Why are you all fleeing in such a panic?” he asked.

A routed soldier who looked like a corporal was brought to his tent. His face was filled with terror as he replied, “Reporting to the General, a rebel army attacked from the northwest. They have a High Immortal in their army. The vanguard and the general of our army were all captured by him. Their immortal is invincible, terrifyingly powerful. The powerful bows and crossbows in our army couldn’t even harm him. Our army was routed on contact; we were no match for them at all.”

“Tell me the specific situation,” Su Wu said, his expression tensing.

“Yes, General!” the corporal replied. “Originally, our army had the absolute advantage on the battlefield. The enemy was in constant retreat. But the day before yesterday, the enemy’s vanguard general took out an Immortal-Binding Rope. It’s a treasure given to him by the High Immortal in their camp. It can kidnap our officers from the battlefield; it’s completely impossible to defend against. No matter how far you run, you’ll be tied up by this rope. He captured all of our generals, and without a leader, our army collapsed. And when they charged, their High Immortal personally took the field. He was invincible, a hundred men against one!”

Remembering the immortal’s divine might, the corporal’s face turned pale again, his fear resurfacing. “Our brothers aimed all our attacks at him, whether it was strong bows and crossbows, or swords and spears, we couldn’t harm him at all! He was practically invulnerable to blades and spears. Our mortal weapons couldn’t injure him in the slightest. Especially without a commander, our army collapsed without a fight. The enemy took the opportunity to charge and slaughter us. More than half were killed or injured, and the lucky survivors were all scattered. They chased us all the way here. I heard they’re resting and will be here by tomorrow morning at the latest.”

Su Wu sucked in a cold breath. If it were before, he might have thought these routed soldiers were exaggerating. But after experiencing the immortal’s raid last night, he was deeply moved. Even his invincible spearmen had been routed on contact, and the powerful bows and crossbows had been unable to harm him in the slightest, let alone these ordinary soldiers.

He said to a general beside him, “Pass my orders. Gather all the scattered soldiers and incorporate them into our army. Also, inform the entire army, and those routed soldiers, that we also have a High Immortal in our camp, and that yesterday we killed two of the enemy’s. Tell them to be at ease. We must stabilize morale and prepare for a fierce battle tomorrow.”

Hearing that their army also had a High Immortal, the corporal’s face immediately lit up with joy. “Please, General Su, you must avenge our general!”