Swallowed Star 2: Origin Continent - Chapter 48: Array Formation Experts
Luo Feng brought Morosa to the Zhu Clan’s cave dwelling. After all, it was located in the ‘Chaos Armor District’, which was nearby.
“No wonder the Zhu Clan is so formidable; the cost of this array alone must be very high.” Luo Feng looked at the vast, continuously operating array. The power of the array was the strongest he had seen in Huyang City.
Such a terrifying array would be impossible for the assassin Ying Cang to break through.
Luo Feng, after over twenty eras of cultivation, had greatly improved his realm. Even so, it would likely take burning his divine power to tear through the array and break in.
“My Zhu Clan’s core population of over a hundred million lives here; we cannot afford to be careless,” Zhu You, accompanying Luo Feng, explained with a smile. “Back then, to establish this array, my Zhu Clan paid a significant karmic price.”
Luo Feng nodded. Unlike the Five Great Families, which were just branches, the Zhu Clan had rooted itself here, naturally making their cave dwelling impregnable.
Soon, Luo Feng saw a small old man. The old man’s skin had green secret patterns on its surface, and he looked at Luo Feng with a smile: “Divine Lord Luo He.”
“Clan Leader Zhu Hu,” Luo Feng responded politely. Clan Leader Zhu Hu’s reputation in Huyang City was no less than that of Magili Xiao and Divine Lord Xue Yun.
“Please.” Clan Leader Zhu Hu led them into a small building.
Zhu Hu, Zhu You, and Luo Feng sat down separately, with exquisite food and fine wine served.
“Today, I finally have the opportunity to meet Divine Lord Luo He,” Clan Leader Zhu Hu said to Luo Feng in admiration. “Divine Lord, you haven’t been in Huyang City for long, but your reputation is now the most prominent in the city.”
“That’s just an empty reputation,” Luo Feng said.
“You are too modest,” Clan Leader Zhu Hu said, waving his hand. A jade green bottle flew and landed on the table in front of Luo Feng. “Two million Cosmos Sand, Divine Lord, you can verify it.”
Luo Feng’s divine power penetrated to check, confirming that there were indeed two million Cosmos Sand, not a grain less. This made Luo Feng secretly marvel at the depth of the local forces represented by the Zhu Clan, who could so easily produce such immense wealth.
“This is the Realm Sword,” Luo Feng handed over the mechanical secret treasure ‘Realm Sword’ to Clan Leader Zhu Hu.
Clan Leader Zhu Hu checked it briefly and then put it away.
With the transaction complete, the atmosphere became even more cordial.
After finishing their meal and drinks, Luo Feng bid farewell to Clan Leader Zhu Hu, and Zhu You personally escorted him.
“No need to see me off.”
Outside the main gate of the Zhu Clan’s cave dwelling, Luo Feng and Morosa boarded a flying boat and departed.
Clan Leader Zhu Hu stood in front of the small building, watching the flying boat leave.
A gentle woman appeared beside him.
“Lord Wei, here is your Realm Sword,” Clan Leader Zhu Hu handed the Realm Sword to the woman. “Lord Wei, while observing secretly, did you discover the true nature of this Divine Lord Luo He?”
“He gave me a very unique feeling,” the gentle woman said with interest. “I traveled to various cities in Yuguo after leaving the capital, and I feel that Divine Lord Luo He is the most impressive I’ve seen.”
Clan Leader Zhu Hu was surprised: “The most impressive?”
“It’s just a feeling,” the gentle woman said. “Thank you for handling this transaction, Clan Leader Zhu Hu. Now that I have the Realm Sword, I will take my leave.”
“It was nothing,” Clan Leader Zhu Hu said warmly. Though his strength was not inferior to Lord Wei’s, her background far exceeded that of the Five Great Families, so he naturally treated her with great care.
……
In the following days, Luo Feng sold some of his past ‘spoils of war’ to various businesses in Huyang City, converting them all into Cosmos Sand.
“I now have 3.3 million Cosmos Sand, but the estimated cost for three times of body tempering requires 3.6 million Cosmos Sand worth of materials. Including some unforeseen losses during tempering, I need to prepare a bit more,” Luo Feng thought. “I’m short of about thirty thousand Cosmos Sand. What should I do?”
Life Blood River and the Myriad Realms Evasion Order, these two mechanical treasures, he didn’t want to sell for the time being.
He still had some Eternal True God level armor, weapons, exotic beast materials, etc., which together were worth three to four hundred thousand Cosmos Sand.
The ‘Ye Beast Blood’ given by the City Lord’s Mansion still had more than half left, worth fifty to sixty thousand Cosmos Sand. But Luo Feng was reluctant to sell these too.
“Short of thirty thousand Cosmos Sand, I’ll take on another bounty mission,” Luo Feng nodded slightly. “I haven’t taken action for a while; I’m afraid I might not deter those vicious characters otherwise.”
“Choose a deserving target,” Luo Feng started to look through the assassination missions of the Dark Hall in the Yan Feng Pavilion, carefully selecting.
Suddenly——
“Brother Luo He, go to the Tianyan Gate immediately.” Magili Meng sent a message to Luo Feng.
“What’s happening at Tianyan Gate?” Luo Feng was puzzled. Tianyan Gate was a weapon-refining sect founded by his friend, Entropy Tianyan.
“The forces of Shiguo have captured several array formation experts and might also target Entropy Tianyan,” Magili Meng sent a message.
Luo Feng’s heart tightened.
Over the past twenty eras, Entropy Tianyan had been a mentor in his body tempering endeavors, always open and honest. Moreover, their frequent interactions had made Entropy Tianyan his only true friend in Huyang City.
As for Black Butcher, Moyu Hu, and others, their relationships were not as equal, lacking the depth of friendship.
“Qingyan, stay guard at the cave dwelling,” Luo Feng instructed, then took Morosa and swiftly left the cave dwelling on a flying boat.
“What’s going on?” Moyu Qingyan watched the scene from afar. “The master seems anxious?”
……
At Tianyan Gate.
“Brother Luo He.” The burly figure of Entropy Tianyan greeted him as he exited the flying boat with Morosa.
“Magili Meng told me you were in danger?” Luo Feng asked.
Entropy Tianyan shook his head: “Just tonight, eight array formation experts in Huyang City were captured by a mysterious force at the same time. These eight experts were all Eternal True Gods and none of them could resist.”
“Captured at the same time?” Luo Feng was very surprised. Capturing an Eternal True God alive was not easy. To simultaneously capture eight, each capable of such a feat, indicated a very powerful force.
“Yes, most of these eight experts were in their own cave dwellings,” Entropy Tianyan nodded. “They were all captured and taken away, and the City Lord’s Mansion couldn’t track their whereabouts. With such strength and the willingness to act, it could only be the forces of Shiguo.”
“Why capture them?” Luo Feng asked.
“The entire array formation of Huyang City is extremely complex, consisting of numerous arrays perfectly combined. Over the long years, many array experts have been maintaining it. Of the nine array experts currently residing in Huyang City, eight were taken tonight! I am the last one.”
“They took eight and spared me,” Entropy Tianyan shook his head. “The City Lord’s Mansion might suspect I’m colluding with the Shiguo forces.”
Luo Feng understood: “Those eight array experts worked for the City Lord’s Mansion. Wouldn’t the City Lord’s Mansion try to rescue them?”
“I’ve already inquired with the City Lord’s Mansion,” Entropy Tianyan looked at the night sky and sighed, “Their response was that the moment those experts were captured, their Causal Transmission Orders were destroyed, making it impossible to locate them.”
“The City Lord’s Mansion should have the causal imprints of these array experts,” Luo Feng said. “With these imprints, they should be able to deduce their locations.”
“Deducing locations from causal imprints alone?” Entropy Tianyan shook his head. “That’s a technique only the Chaos Overlord possesses.”
“Yan Feng Pavilion can do it,” Luo Feng said.
“Yan Feng Pavilion requires one million Cosmos Sand to deduce locations from causal imprints,” Entropy Tianyan shook his head. “The City Lord’s Mansion would never spend that much. Based on past experiences, once taken by the Shiguo forces, life or death…is up to Shiguo.”
Luo Feng nodded slightly.
“That’s why we must avoid getting involved in their conflicts. Getting involved means risking being crushed at any moment,” Entropy Tianyan shook his head. “However, those of us proficient in arrays are ordered by the City Lord’s Mansion to repair damaged arrays. We have no choice but to comply.”
Entropy Tianyan looked at Luo Feng: “I have no ties to Shiguo. They spared me this time, I guess…because they didn’t want to offend you.”
“They spared me out of nine,” Entropy Tianyan said. “Those eight who were taken are my friends. We often discussed arrays together. I wonder if they will survive this.”
******
In a secret treasure space.
Divine Lord Xue Yun, Yutian Hu, and Yutian Yi stood there, while more than ten Eternal True Gods were being interrogated in separate spaces.
The Shiguo forces had two teams in Huyang City. A weaker team led by President Zanyun, and a stronger one led by Divine Lord Xue Yun! President
Zanyun could only contact Divine Lord Xue Yun, unable to reach his numerous subordinates.
“Answer truthfully, and you will live. If not, you will die, and your family will be exterminated,” the Eternal True Gods threatened.
They had many methods of coercion, ensuring these array experts could neither live nor die.
Before long, all the captured array experts had confessed.
In fact, their knowledge was merely the tip of the iceberg of Huyang City’s array formations.
“These eight array experts, one was already on our side, and the other seven have now confessed,” Divine Lord Xue Yun said with a smile.
“What do we do with these array experts?” Yutian Hu asked.
“Release five, kill three,” Divine Lord Xue Yun said casually. “First, let Huyang City know that working for the City Lord’s Mansion leads to a bad end. Second, show them that we in Shiguo are still merciful, sparing some obedient Eternal True Gods.”
Yutian Hu frowned: “We should just complete the task and kill them all.”
“Do as I say,” Divine Lord Xue Yun glanced at Yutian Hu, then finalized the list of five to be spared, including the array expert who had defected to them.
That night.
Five surviving array experts were released.
……
Inside Tianyan Gate.
Luo Feng and Morosa sat across from each other, drinking.
Entropy Tianyan drank, gazing at the night sky, feeling anxious. Suddenly, his expression changed as he took out his Causal Transmission Order.
“What’s wrong?” Luo Feng asked.
“Of the eight captured friends, three of their causal imprints just vanished,” Entropy Tianyan said, looking at the Causal Transmission Order. “Their causal imprints vanished; they are dead. They didn’t resist at all, yet the Shiguo forces still killed them.”