147: Han Li has arrived! The Four Symbols Demon-Slaying Formation!

Chapter One Hundred and Forty-Seven: Han Li's Visit! The Four Symbols Demon Slaying Array!

A moment later, Lu Qiu had returned to his Immortal Cave in the Taiyue Mountain Range.

The Immortal Cave's Restrictions were intact; everything was as it had been.

He first went to the Deacon Hall in Yellow Maple Valley to report, stating that he had been ordered to go to Yan Family Fort a year ago, but had been ambushed by Ghost Spirit Sect Cultivators on the way. He claimed he had been heavily injured and near death, but luckily escaped and found a place to hide and heal, only returning to the Sect recently after his injuries had fully recovered.

His words were sincere and the details were reasonable. Coupled with the slight, perfectly-timed sense of weakness of someone who had "just recovered from injuries," he did not arouse much suspicion.

After all, following the Yan Family Fort incident, almost all the Foundation Establishment Cultivators who had gone there were confirmed missing or fallen; being able to return alive was already considered lucky.

After reporting, he tried to pay his respects to his Revered Master, Li Huayuan, but learned that Li Huayuan and several other Core Formation Junior Martial Uncles had all gone to a certain important stronghold on the front lines to oversee the situation and were not in the valley.

He then went to Han Li's Immortal Cave, only to find the gates tightly shut and the Restrictions active; the owner of the Immortal Cave was clearly not there.

“It seems Han Li was not spared either. Just like in the original story, he was ‘conscripted’ and sent on a mission.” Lu Qiu shook his head slightly and returned to his own Immortal Cave.

Since he couldn't get more information from the higher-ups for now, he simply entered seclusion in his Immortal Cave. On one hand, he wanted to stabilize his newly broken-through False Core Realm and familiarize himself with his surging power; on the other hand, he wanted to organize his recent gains to prepare for a possible deployment... One month later.

The protective Formation outside the Immortal Cave fluctuated, and a Sound Transmission Talisman flew in.

“Is Senior Brother Lu there? Your Junior Brother, Han Li, has come to visit.”

Lu Qiu opened his eyes, a flash of understanding crossing them.

He waved his hand to open the Immortal Cave's Restrictions, and with a flash of his body, he arrived at the entrance.

Standing outside the door was indeed Han Li, looking travel-worn and slightly fatigued.

His aura had improved quite a bit; clearly, he hadn't wasted this past year and had experienced many things.

“Junior Brother Han, I hope you have been well. Looking at you, have you just returned from the battlefield?” Lu Qiu led Han Li into the Immortal Cave and asked casually.

A bitter smile appeared on Han Li's face as he sighed: “It's a long story. After luckily escaping from Yan Family Fort that day, I was conscripted by the Sect on my way back and sent to guard a remote Spirit Stone mine. I only just returned after a rotation of duty.”

He briefly mentioned the boredom and occasional dangers of the guarding mission, but he was clearly holding back.

Lu Qiu nodded and gave his prepared explanation: “So that's how it was. On my way to Yan Family Fort that day, I also encountered an ambush by Ghost Spirit Sect experts. After a hard-fought battle, I luckily escaped but was also heavily injured. I had to find a place to hide and heal, and only just returned a month ago after fully recovering.”

Upon hearing this, Han Li's eyes flickered slightly. He took a careful look at Lu Qiu and saw that his aura was steady, indeed at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, but with a faint hint of the instability that comes with newly recovered injuries. Most of the doubts in his heart vanished.

As for why Lu Qiu could escape the pursuit of Ghost Spirit Sect experts alone, or why his injuries recovered so "conveniently"... Han Li was cautious by nature; though he found it a bit coincidental, he wouldn't rashly pry into another's secrets. He simply cupped his hands and said: “Senior Brother is a lucky man; it is good that you returned safely.”

After a few pleasantries, Han Li's tone shifted, his expression becoming somewhat solemn: “Senior Brother, I have actually come this time to ask for a favor.”

“Oh? Junior Brother, please feel free to speak. If I can help, I will certainly not refuse.” Lu Qiu already had a vague guess in his heart.

Han Li took out an ancient-looking Jade Slip with worn edges from his Storage Pouch and handed it over with both hands: “I occasionally found a clue to an ancient Cultivator ruin and discovered a broken ancient teleportation array within. I know nothing about Formations, and I heard that your wife is an expert in this Dao, so I have taken the liberty of coming to ask if she could take a look and see if this array can be repaired?”

Lu Qiu took the Jade Slip and sank his Divine Sense into it.

As expected!

The array diagram style and rune characteristics recorded in the Jade Slip were identical to the replicated ancient teleportation array diagram!

It was indeed that ancient teleportation array leading to the Chaotic Star Sea!

His heart shook, but his face showed a perfectly-timed look of surprise and contemplation: “This array diagram... seems to be some kind of extremely ancient and rare ‘ancient teleportation array’? Junior Brother Han actually had such an Opportunity?”

Seeing that Lu Qiu seemed to recognize it, a flash of hope appeared in Han Li's eyes: “Senior Brother recognizes this array? I wonder how difficult it would be to repair? What Materials are needed? I am willing to give everything I have, just to have this array repaired!”

Lu Qiu put down the Jade Slip, showing a difficult expression as he said slowly: “This array is extremely old, and its construction is complex and exquisite, far exceeding the common teleportation arrays of today. Many runes and structures have been lost to time, and the Materials are likely rare and hard to find... The difficulty of repair is no small matter.”

He paused, looking at Han Li's expectant and nervous eyes, then continued: “However... since you have asked, I will naturally do my best. Although I am not well-versed in the Dao of Formations, Ruyin has studied it extensively, so I can let her examine it. It's just that it might take quite a while, and the Materials will also need to be collected slowly.”

Hearing this, Han Li immediately said: “Time is not an issue! Regarding Materials, although I am not wealthy, I have some savings. Whatever you need, Senior Brother, just list it out! As long as this array can be repaired, I am willing to offer a thousand-year spirit herb as a reward!”

Saying this, he took out a jade box covered in Spirit Sealing Talismans and opened a small crack. A dense medicinal fragrance immediately filled the air; inside was a thousand-year spirit ginseng of excellent quality.

Lu Qiu pondered for a moment, seemingly with some reluctance, before finally nodding: “Very well, for the sake of our friendship as fellow Disciples and your sincerity, I will accept this on Ruyin's behalf. But I must warn you beforehand: there are many variables in repairing an ancient array. I can only promise to do my best; I cannot guarantee success. Let's set the time for half a year for now. I need to let Ruyin study the diagram carefully first, and then try to collect the necessary Materials.”

“Thank you, Senior Brother! I am truly grateful!” Han Li was overjoyed and hurriedly pushed the Jade Slip and the jade box containing the thousand-year spirit ginseng toward Lu Qiu.

The two discussed some more details before Han Li took his leave.

After seeing Han Li off, Lu Qiu looked at the Jade Slip and the jade box in his hand, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

Everything was going according to plan.

Han Li had proactively delivered the array diagram and the reward, saving him a lot of talk and trouble.

Next, he just needed to let Xin Ruyin “study” it for a while, and then presenting the “successfully repaired” array diagram would be perfectly natural.

However, Han Li clearly knew very little about the Dao of Formations.

Without the great teleportation token, even if the array were repaired, he wouldn't be able to use it...

Time flew by, and three months had passed since the State of Yue and the Six Demonic Sects entered a period of truce.

Although there were still small-scale frictions at the border, large-scale warfare had temporarily ceased. Both sides seemed to be gathering strength, brewing the next even more violent storm.

Inside the Immortal Cave's Quiet Room, Lu Qiu held an ancient, pitch-black pottery jar the size of a fist, covered in eerie Gu markings.

He carefully peeled off a Seal from the mouth of the jar and probed inside with his Divine Sense.

The jar was not empty; it was crawling with dense, scalp-numbing, strange insects!

These insects were about the size of an adult's fingertip, their bodies a sinister reddish-black. Their carapaces were covered in fine, blood-colored patterns, their mouthparts were sharp and hooked, and their six thin legs had sharp spines.

They lay there quietly, but when they moved, a layer of faint, unsettling red blood-mist would naturally swirl around them, emitting a cold, greedy aura that targeted the blood, Qi, and Divine Soul of living beings.

“Blood Soul Gu...” Lu Qiu whispered its name.

This was an extremely sinister Gu insect with immense growth potential recorded in the Myriad Poisons Gu Scripture.

Cultivating this Gu was not easy; it required specific venomous insects as a base, supplemented by various sinister poisons, and fed with the Essence Blood and Divine Soul of Cultivators or Yao Beasts. It required long-term refinement to become a true Gu.

Once refined, its mouthpart spines could condense a strand of extremely tricky “Spirit-Devouring Blood Radiance,” specialized in gnawing and corroding a Cultivator's protective spirit light and the Restriction spiritual resonance of defensive Magical Artifacts. Its ability to pierce defenses was extremely strong.

After breaking through defenses, the Gu insect would immediately burrow into the Cultivator's Physical Body, first frantically devouring the blood essence flowing through their Meridians. Once the blood essence was exhausted, it would turn to gnawing at their Sea of Consciousness and Divine Soul Origin!

The blood essence and Soul Power they consumed would, in turn, enhance the Gu insects' own strength and ferocity, forming a vicious cycle.

According to the original timeline, the upcoming Battle of Golden Drum Plain would be a meat grinder for the Seven Sects of the State of Yue and the Six Demonic Sects, with thousands of low-to-mid-tier Cultivators falling.

The blood essence and remnant souls filling the battlefield would be an excellent feeding ground and stepping stone for the “Blood Soul Gu”!

“It's perfect to use them to feed you and accelerate your growth.” A cold light flickered in Lu Qiu's eyes as he resealed the pottery jar and put it away.

Although this Gu was sinister, as a means of facing enemies—especially in a large-scale chaotic battle—it might produce unexpectedly miraculous effects.

The next morning, an urgent Sound Transmission Talisman broke the silence of the Immortal Cave and flew into Lu Qiu's hand.

“All Foundation Establishment Disciples in the valley, gather at the Discussion Hall immediately! An urgent mission has been assigned!”

The voice in the Sound Transmission Talisman was hurried and serious.

Lu Qiu's expression turned stern: “The truce is over, and the great war restarts. What was meant to come has finally arrived.”

He didn't hesitate for a moment and immediately set off, but before heading to the Discussion Hall, he took a detour to the Huang Maple Valley Market.

In the Quiet Room of the rented courtyard, Xin Ruyin and Xiao Mei sat opposite each other. The Spiritual Qi around them was stable, and their auras had clearly solidified at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage!

A month ago, with ample preparation, both had successfully achieved Foundation Establishment and had informed Lu Qiu via Sound Transmission Talisman.

Seeing Lu Qiu's arrival, both women showed joy, but seeing his solemn expression, Xin Ruyin's heart couldn't help but tighten.

“Husband Lu, has there been a change on the front line?” Xin Ruyin was clever and guessed immediately.

Lu Qiu nodded and briefly explained the situation: “The Sect has issued an emergency summons; the great war is about to begin, and I must go immediately. You two have just entered Foundation Establishment, your Foundations are not yet stable, and you are not skilled in combat. Stay here and continue your secluded cultivation; do not go out. Keep these Medicinal Pills and Spirit Stones.”

He handed over some Medicinal Pills suitable for the Foundation Establishment Stage and a sum of Spirit Stones to the two women.

Xin Ruyin's eyes were full of reluctance and worry, but she knew Lu Qiu carried his Sect's duties and could not refuse.

She suppressed the bitterness in her heart and took out a set of exquisite Formation tools from her Storage Pouch, consisting of dozens of Formation Flags, several Formation Plates, and a large number of accompanying Spirit Stones and Talismans.

This set of Formation tools looked even more complex than the previous Inverting Five Elements Array. The Formation Flags were divided into four colors: green, red, white, and black, corresponding to the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise of the Four Symbols. The runes carved on the Formation Plates were also more ancient and profound.

“Husband Lu, this Formation is called the ‘Four Symbols Demon Slaying Array.’ I developed and perfected it over the past year by combining insights from the Heavenly Derivation Array Codex, the profound mechanism array canon, and some ancient remnant Formations.”

Xin Ruyin solemnly placed the Formation tools into Lu Qiu's hands and explained softly: “This array is based on the power of the Four Symbols Sacred Beasts, possessing the abilities to trap, hallucinate, attack, and suppress. When fully activated, its power... should be above that of the complete Inverting Five Elements Array, enough to threaten or even trap and kill a Middle Core Formation Cultivator! However, the requirements for setting it up are higher, and the consumption is also greater. This Jade Slip contains the detailed setup instructions and control methods.”

Lu Qiu took the Formation tools and the Jade Slip, his heart shaking violently, followed by an indescribable surge of surprise and emotion!

The Four Symbols Demon Slaying Array!

Its power surpassed the Inverting Five Elements Array and could kill those in the Middle Stage of Core Formation!

What did this mean?

It meant he had another super trump card in his hand capable of reversing the war situation!

In the upcoming brutal war, his guarantee of survival had become even more substantial!

“Ruyin... you are truly... wonderful!”

Lu Qiu didn't know how to express it for a moment; he could only tightly hold Xin Ruyin's hand, his eyes filled with unabashed admiration and surprise: “With this miraculous array to help, my chances of success on this trip have greatly increased! You are truly my capable wife, and a rare genius in the Dao of Formations!”

Xin Ruyin's cheeks turned slightly red from his praise, but her eyes were also overflowing with the joy and pride of being able to share her lover's burdens: “As long as you return safely, that is the greatest affirmation for me. Be careful in everything!”

“Don't worry, I will definitely return.” Lu Qiu nodded heavily and carefully put away the Formation tools and the Jade Slip.

There were no more lingering sentiments or long goodbyes; both knew that time was of the essence.

Lu Qiu took one last deep look at Xin Ruyin and Xiao Mei, then turned and resolutely left the courtyard, speeding toward the Yellow Maple Valley Discussion Hall.