Originally, the approval document only listed Song Taosheng. If Song Taosheng were to bring five other people with him, these five would all have to undergo inspection.

After the document was altered, five people were added. The gamble was that the Guardian Cultivators would be lax and not conduct strict inspections!

Sure enough, the Guardian Cultivators only glanced once and simply used the Jade Talisman to verify, and then let them pass.

In fact, according to the rules, they should at least look three times, use six Jade Talismans for comprehensive verification and inspection, and only if there are no errors could they let them through.

There was also a layer of strategy involved here.

Previously, Zhao Hansheng led Gu Qing, Chu Xuangu, Song Taosheng, Situ Gu, and others to question Qin De. This was the precedent.

It had only been a few days, and the precedent was still fresh, so the Guardian Cultivators did not find it strange.

Song Taosheng and others successfully infiltrated the Cloud Prison, and the Nine Heavens Cloud Gang Array could no longer pose an obstacle.

Cloud Cover Peak Summit.

Main Hall.

Dong Chen and the other three were stationed in the four directions, long ready for battle.

Under their assistance, the oscillation of the Heavenly Cloud Cover had already started to ease, but suddenly, there was an explosive sound, the nine-layer umbrella surface halted abruptly, and then began to tremble violently.

The entire Heavenly Cloud Cover shook violently like a tree in a storm.

Dong Chen sat cross-legged on the altar’s eastern side, his body swayed by the sudden tremor. His expression instantly turned serious, and he reacted immediately. His hands moved with alarming speed to seal, as golden Mana shot from his fingers into the Cloud Cover.

"It’s starting!" he said in a low voice.

The other three jolted awake.

Wei Ji sat in the south, hands pressed in the air, with streams of green Mana surging from within him. However, as he was only the Deputy Peak Master, only a minor portion of his Mana was absorbed by the Heavenly Cloud Cover, while most of it was repeatedly dispersed by the violent vibration.

He had to gather himself repeatedly, and within a few breaths, his face was already slightly pale.

Tuoba Huang sat in the west, fire Qi had just surged from his body when he suddenly grunted, as a puff of Blood Fog burst from his shoulder. He recklessly let the scarlet Mana surge into the sky, injecting into the Heavenly Cloud Cover.

Wang Yu sat cross-legged in the north, continuously waving the horsetail whisk, a few strands breaking apart, fluttering around him.

The four increased their efforts, successfully stabilizing the Heavenly Cloud Cover.

Song Taosheng and others proceeded all the way to the lower levels of the Cloud Prison.

At each level, the guiding Guardian Cultivator would change to another person to continue leading them.

Song Taosheng showed no expression, thoughts of related information echoing within him.

"The outer layer of the Cloud Prison is the Nine Heavens Cloud Gang Array. Inside, there are three additional Formations: the All Heaven Starlight Array, the Eight Diagrams Mysterious Array, and the Vajra Suppressing Mountain Formation."

"These Triple Arrays are intricately linked, operating day and night. Once action is taken and exposure occurs, one immediately falls into the Array Space, with the three powers applying in succession, which is formidable!"

"Therefore, preparations must be made in secret along the way, scattering Talismans and other Breaking Array Items. The earlier and more thoroughly this is done, the more time we gain once we act."

Thinking of this, Song Taosheng began to converse with the leading Guardian.

"The guards inside the Cloud Prison seem much fewer than last time." Song Taosheng suddenly spoke.

The leading Cultivator sighed: "Alas, it’s all because of the refurbishment."

He then poured out his grievances.

It turns out that during each Feiyun Conference, the Cloud Prison undergoes major repairs.

Previously, when Xiao Juxia came to participate in the Xingyun Trial, there was one checkpoint, entering the Cloud Prison’s periphery to repair some Magic Treasures and Magic Artifacts. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

After these repairs, recalibration is naturally required, making everyone in the Cloud Prison busy and exhausted.

It must be known that the Cloud Prison is an important site, with multiple layers of Formations and extensive use of Magic Treasures and Magic Artifacts. These continuously wear down with years of operation.

The Myriad Images Sect uses the Feiyun Conference as an opportunity to have numerous Cultivators repair components in the name of a trial, saving manpower, with participants even paying their own costs. More importantly, the large number of participants shortened repair times, achieving multiple goals at once.

While external components are repaired by outsiders, internal ones are handled by the Evil Slaying Hall itself. Seeking help from other peaks or halls of the Myriad Images Sect requires additional payment.

Once various components are repaired, they need recalibration. Among other things, several Arrays must be as harmonious and unified as possible, otherwise, when running, internal friction could occur, leading to disaster.

At best, this raises the maintenance cost of Arrays. At worst, gaps between Arrays could form, creating defensive vulnerabilities for ill-intentioned individuals to exploit.

Multiple Arrays operating together require a high degree of Array Realm prowess, achieving relatively perfect compatibility.

In fact, the cost to maintain these Formations is immense.

The Evil Slaying Hall, being a powerful department within the Myriad Images Sect, must also consider this economic account.

The Cloud Prison’s largest Defensive Magic Array, the Nine Heavens Cloud Gang Array, uses a large scale of Yun Gang Rock, allowing it to tap into the external cloud sea, using the power of the heavens and earth to aid in array formation.

This considerably reduces Formation expenditures.

Even so, during peacetime, each allocation to the Cloud Prison gave Zhong Dao a headache.

Song Taosheng, being a Confucian Cultivator with knowledge and eloquence, was a seasoned elder familiar with human nature. He initiated conversation, making the Guardian Cultivators feel at ease and connected, slowing their pace subconsciously.

The five Death Soldiers behind him had already acted subtly.

They had clear roles, with some camouflaging, others detecting, and some secretly scattering Breaking Array and Breaking Ban Talismans, arranging Breaking Array items along the way.

Cloud Cover Peak.

The tremors of the Heavenly Cloud Cover intensified.

The rotation of the nine-layer umbrella surface was already out of control, sometimes clockwise, sometimes counterclockwise, sometimes nearly stopping, and then spinning crazily.

Every change in rotation direction caused thick, multi-colored arc lights to spray from the edge of the umbrella, striking Dong Chen and the others, leaving bloody marks.

Dong Chen’s face was already pale, sweat from his forehead dripping onto his body, instantly mixing with blood.

Wei Ji remained seated, but his coarse Daoist robe was stained in several areas with fresh blood.

Tuoba Huang’s face was already flushed, blue veins bulging on his forehead, his hands clenched tight, knuckles turning white, with blood at the corner of his mouth.

Wang Yu’s breathing was rapid and irregular, now only able to wave the horsetail whisk with his left hand. His right arm hung limply, having been struck by a multi-colored arc light, breaking his bone.

Dong Chen’s gaze was steadfast: "Hold on, the resonance with the Qi Fortune is becoming stronger, I’m close to discovering the key to this calamity’s change! Whatever it is, it’s inside our Myriad Images Sect’s hub."

The other three were invigorated, knowing that once this key is found, they could turn things around.

This is the stronghold of the Myriad Images Sect!

Once power is exerted, it would be an unstoppable sweep.

Hua Zhang Capital.

In the grand hall, the Huazhang Country Lord was suddenly alerted by a Spiritual Mechanism, his eyes snapping open: "The time has come, commence the national ritual!"

He focused his mind, spewing out a flame.

The flame shot forth, igniting the three sticks of sandalwood incense in the Green Jade Incense Burner. The smoke rose in thin spirals, straight as a line, reaching the hall’s ceiling. The fragrance was pure and profound, bringing peace to the Heart Spirit, yet with an underlying note of somber determination.

The sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, and the names of ancient sages on the three layers of Yellow Silk began to glow brilliantly.

Han Song stood on the altar’s left side, holding a nine-foot white silk scroll. The three thousand-word sacrificial text on the white silk began to glow softly.

Han Song stepped forward and began reciting the sacrificial text:

"In the 1,237th year of the Huazhang Country’s history, during the year of Jiazi, in the mid-spring month, on the new moon Dingmao day. The Huazhang Country Lord, Minister Kong You, respectfully led the Imperial Ancestral Temple Director Zhou Zheng, Jixia Academy Sacrificial Wine Han Song, Professor of Imperial College Zheng Jing, National Academy Supervisor Wang Shu, daring to announce to the Emperors of Heaven and Earth, the Ancestors and Sages of the past, Master Confucius, Ancestor Cang, and various Guardian Spirits of past Confucian Cultivators, and to pray for the Confucian Sect’s vast Qi Fortune, to forever protect Huazhang..."

The voice echoed in the hall, solemn and dignified.

Han Song’s Mana was incessantly consumed, each character of the sacrificial text floating into the Golden Seal Jade Book.

Han Song continued to recite: "Literature is the warp and weft of heaven and earth, the brilliance of the sun and moon, the rules of all things, the exemplar of human ethics. Since Ancestor Cang created writing, heavens rained millet, ghosts wept at night, civilization began, benefiting all generations forever..."