Chapter 431: Chapter 418: Affairs of the Beast Emperor Palace and the Holy Light Sect

Even for many powerhouses, advancing from the First Heaven of the King Martial Realm to the Second Heaven could easily take hundreds of years.

Many even remain stuck at a single level for their entire lives.

They die when their lifespan runs out, unable to advance even a single step further!

At the King Martial Realm, a Martial Artist often needed to comprehend the Natural Dao and the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth to advance their Cultivation.

Spirit Stones and Elixir Pills were still highly effective, but not to the same extent as in the Spirit Martial Realm.

Martial Artists in the Spirit Martial Realm could use large quantities of Spirit Stones or Elixir Pills to achieve breakthroughs and raise their Cultivation.

Without a breakthrough in comprehending the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, one’s Realm could not rise, making it nearly impossible to reach a new level.

But this Grand Array that Shen Lang had a group of Elder Ancestors set up... he was actually claiming that if a King Martial Realm powerhouse entered and was lucky, they could advance three whole levels?

Just advancing a single level after entering would already be an incredible feat!

It was the kind of thing that would make these old King Martial Realm geezers laugh in their sleep!

And he was saying it was possible to advance three levels!

This Grand Array, sitting right here, was practically a massive treasure trove!

Compared to this, what did it matter that a group of old men had worked themselves half to death?

What did it matter that they’d consumed a vast amount of Spirit Stones?

However, Shen Lang was clearly not as optimistic as they were.

Shen Lang frowned slightly and said, "Don’t celebrate too early. While this array is decent and can absorb Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi to replenish itself, the amount of Spirit Stones it consumes is still too immense. If used long-term, it will drain the resources of these few Sects within a few years."

The Elder Ancestors’ old faces flushed red. They exchanged awkward glances, too embarrassed to speak.

At this point, their pockets were already empty...

After all, the resources of a Profound Iron Level Sect were limited. They had already spent countless Spirit Stones and various materials forging that large batch of incomparably powerful Armor and obtaining from Shen Lang the most effective Elixir Pill formulas for every Cultivation Level from the Spirit Martial Realm to the King Martial Realm.

In just about three months, they had nearly bankrupted all five Sects.

Profound Level Fifth Grade Armor, the kind that could serve as the Treasure of the Sect for a Profound Iron Level Influence, had consumed innumerable materials and Spirit Stones, even with the scales of the Four-winged Green-scaled Python as the main component.

As for the various high-grade, super-effective Elixir Pills and Potions, they were a bottomless pit; no amount of Spirit Stones or materials was ever enough.

"Alright, I’ll think about this matter. Now, I’ll explain the arrangements," Shen Lang said, raising his voice a few notches.

"Spirit Martial Realm First to Fifth Heaven, enter the Open Gate. Spirit Martial Realm Sixth to Ninth Heaven, enter the Rest Gate. Xuanwu Realm First to Third Heaven, enter the Life Gate. Xuanwu Realm Fourth to Sixth Heaven, enter the Harm Gate. Xuanwu Realm Seventh to Ninth Heaven, enter the Delusion Gate. King Martial Realm First to Second Heaven, enter the Scenery Gate. King Martial Realm Third to Fourth Heaven, enter the Fear Gate. King Martial Realm Fifth Heaven... Alright, no one is at the King Martial Realm Fifth Heaven yet."

"Four Elder Ancestors need to remain outside the Grand Array to stand guard, just in case."

"If anyone achieves a breakthrough, the Elder Ancestors stationed outside must immediately lend them a hand."

With that said, Shen Lang flew up and hovered above the Grand Array.

His body spun rapidly in the air, his ten fingers flashing as he formed a myriad of Seal Techniques, driving them one by one into the already-formed Grand Array.

Nine Array Banners materialized in Shen Lang’s hands, and he planted them one by one in nine different locations within the Grand Array.

Then, Shen Lang’s figure vanished, and in an instant, he moved a giant, twenty-foot-tall boulder and slammed it into the center of the Grand Array!

Strangely, though it was clearly just an ordinary rock from nearby, the moment it was inserted into the Array, it erupted with a blinding, intense light!

The intense light then dissipated, and an ancient, weathered aura began to emanate from the stone.

The once-unremarkable boulder now radiated an indescribable charm, as if it had stood there for millennia, giving off a strange feeling of endless simplicity and age.

Eternal and unchanging, a lone stone stands vast between heaven and earth;

A single peak, elegant and proud, as mountains rush toward it like surging waves.

The twenty-foot-tall boulder stood there, and for a fleeting moment, it felt like a towering peak piercing the clouds!

A water-like ripple spread out from the Grand Array...

The Life and Death Reincarnation Array was now fully activated!

"I’ll leave things here to you Elder Ancestors," Shen Lang said, turning around in mid-air. "Ying Huo, take ten members of War Wolf and follow me to the outskirts of the Barbaric."

"Yes, sir!"

Although Ying Huo was surprised that he couldn’t enter the Life and Death Reincarnation Array with the others, he respectfully agreed without the slightest hesitation.

He selected ten people, and they vanished into the distance with Shen Lang.

Back in the forbidden ground, without any orders from the Elder Ancestors, the crowd consciously lined up before their corresponding array gates, filing in one after another with a mixture of excitement and apprehension...

Meanwhile, Shen Lang shot down from the mountaintop like a streak of light, having already placed Ying Huo and the ten other War Wolf members inside the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron.

With Shen Lang’s current mastery of the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron, he could only place up to ten unresisting people inside it at once.

The heaven-defying functions of the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron were slowly being revealed.

In the entire Human Realm, you couldn’t find a second Magical Treasure capable of taking in living people and keeping them completely unharmed!

"How is the investigation I assigned you progressing?" Shen Lang asked via Divine Thought transmission.

Inside the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron, Ying Huo heard the voice, opened his eyes, and respectfully replied, "I was just about to report to you, My Lord. First, the Beast Emperor Palace of Yunfeng Country went quiet for a while. It seems that after you killed their previous group and they were unable to determine your identity, they grew quite wary."

"However, we discovered half a month ago that they’ve started making moves again. They have already dispatched experts into the Purple Chu Country, and they are heading toward the Celestial Profound Mountain Range. Their specific target is still unknown. Most of this group are Martial Artists below the Xuanwu Realm, with fewer than thirty Xuanwu Realm Martial Artists among them. Based on this, we can determine they are not targeting the Profound Dao Sect."

"Perhaps they aren’t sure if the Profound Dao Sect was responsible for the deaths of the group at Wuling Creek; or perhaps, just as you said, My Lord, they are searching for something."

"Fearing they might attract the attention of the Imperial Dragon Sect and other Sects, they are proceeding with extreme caution. Their pace is very slow, and they are expected to reach the vicinity of Wuling Creek in about ten days. The one leading them is a Xuanwu Realm Ninth Heaven powerhouse."

A flicker of light crossed Shen Lang’s eyes. ’Dozens of Xuanwu Realm Powerhouses, plus a group of elite disciples... For a Profound Iron Level Influence, that’s a huge loss. For them to regroup and return so soon, aren’t they afraid of being completely wiped out again? It seems their ambitions are not small.’

"Have your men keep a close watch on them. No matter what they’re looking for, they are bound to clash with the Profound Dao Sect sooner or later! Since they’re courting death, we’ll devour every batch they send! Dozens of Xuanwu Realm Powerhouses at a time... I’d like to see just how many batches a mere Beast Emperor Palace can afford to send over!"

Ying Huo replied respectfully, "Yes, I understand!"

"And the second matter?" Shen Lang asked again.

Ying Huo said in a clear voice, "Second, there are indeed people from the Holy Light Sect spying outside the Profound Dao Sect’s Mountain Gate. I sent men to investigate and confirmed that those individuals are all disciples of Qian Luo from the Holy Light Sect."

"My Lord, when we arrive outside the Sect later, should we dispose of them?"

Shen Lang let out a soft chuckle. "Why bother with them? The one targeting me is Qian Luo. If we’re going to take care of anyone, it should be him. Ignore them. By the time we return, Qian Luo will probably deliver himself to our doorstep."

Ying Huo snorted coldly. "That Qian Luo truly doesn’t know what’s good for him. He’s unlucky to have targeted you, My Lord."

"This Qian Luo, what’s his status in the Holy Light Sect? And what exactly is the relationship between the Holy Light Sect and the Profound Dao Sect?" Shen Lang asked.

Ying Huo immediately replied, "Qian Luo’s Cultivation is profound. He is at the Xuanwu Realm Fifth Heaven and is the Peak Master of Qi Yun Peak in the Holy Light Sect."

"Among the Profound Iron Level Influences in the Purple Chu Country, the Profound Dao Sect is one of the few Sects not affiliated with the Imperial Dragon Sect and the other two major Sects. Furthermore, many years ago, when the Profound Dao Sect was still a Spirit Copper Level Influence, it had countless conflicts and grievances with those three. As a result, those three Spirit Copper Level Sects have worked together to suppress the Profound Dao Sect for many years."

"If not for their fear of a certain rumor, the Profound Dao Sect would have probably been crushed by them long ago."

Shen Lang’s eyes flickered. "The rumor about the founding ancestor having a connection to the War God Hall?"

"Yes," Ying Huo said gravely. "Legend has it that the Profound Dao Sect was established with the help of a mysterious powerhouse from the War God Hall. It is for this reason that the Imperial Dragon Sect and the other two major Spirit Copper Level Influences dare not try to completely annihilate us. Although, even we aren’t sure if the rumor is true or false. But clearly, they don’t dare take the risk."

Ying Huo continued, "The Holy Light Sect is nothing but a dog of the Imperial Dragon Sect. After the Profound Dao Sect became a Profound Iron Level Influence, they have constantly been our enemy. They’ve been incredibly arrogant these past few years, practically bullying us at our own doorstep."

"We learned from the Elder Ancestors of the Evil Wind Valley and Xiu Hua Sect that the Holy Light Sect might be planning a major move against the Profound Dao Sect in the near future. When I and the other four Commanders sent people to investigate the Beast Emperor Palace incident, we also discovered something strange... People from the Holy Light Sect seem to be scattered all over the area around the Profound Dao Sect, and their movements are suspicious!"

Shen Lang said flatly, "Even though the Profound Dao Sect has become a Profound Iron Level Influence, it still has the foundation of a Spirit Copper Level Influence. How would a bottom-tier Profound Iron Level Influence like the Holy Light Sect have the strength to launch any major operation against the Profound Dao Sect?"

"Even if they mobilized their entire Sect, they couldn’t possibly shake the Profound Dao Sect. You said you noticed them making unusual moves. Could it be that these guys are also looking for something? Otherwise, if they were truly planning an attack, sending a bunch of disciples to swarm the area around the Profound Dao Sect would just be alerting the enemy."

An expression of admiration appeared on Ying Huo’s face. "You are absolutely right, My Lord. At the time, the other Elder Ancestors scoffed at the idea and refused to believe it. But after I sent people to investigate, I discovered that it was just as you said. They sent out low-skilled Outer Disciples under the guise of training, and they are searching for something in the periphery of the Profound Dao Sect."

"Whether this is a coincidence or if both sides are looking for the same thing, we can’t say for certain yet."

Shen Lang nodded in satisfaction. "Mm, you’ve done well. For now, keep a close eye on the Beast Emperor Palace. As for the Holy Light Sect, they’re connected to the Imperial Dragon Sect, so it’s not good to act against them openly. The Holy Light Sect is isolated now, with only the Golden Embryo Sect colluding with them... In that case, if they’re really asking to die, I will personally take action and eliminate them in the Yumu Cave Blessed Land!"

"Yes, sir!" Ying Huo felt his blood begin to boil with excitement.

It had been years, he didn’t know how many, since he had felt this way.

For all these years, the people of the Profound Dao Sect had endured humiliation, shouldering heavy burdens while the upper echelons claimed to be prioritizing the bigger picture, refusing to take a tougher stance against other Sects.

But Shen Lang’s tone now was one of absolute authority, holding the power of life and death!

’Whoever dares to stand in my way will be destroyed!’

’This is the feeling, this is the spirit!’