Ethereal Mirage

Tang Pi was holding his own, even in a five-against-one combat scenario. The staggering display of lethal prowess sent a wave of awe coursing through Qin Huai.

“A pureblood? And he has already reached the level above the visceral prefecture realm?” Qin Huai wondered, a slight frown on his face. Initially, he had contemplated sitting back and reaping the benefits, but seeing the aura emanating from Tang Pi, he abandoned the notion.

“Regardless, it’s best we disrupt the blood sea array first.”

As if on cue, Wang Kun emerged from below, a black skull cradled in his hand. “Let’s move!”

Without any hesitation, they swiftly made for the outer edge of the blood sea. Soon after, the clamor in their ears faded away. They journeyed cautiously, only coming to a halt once they reached the blood sea’s boundary.

“That was surprisingly smooth,” Wang Kun remarked, cradling the black skull as though it were a precious gem. “I was expecting a life-or-death ordeal.”

“Isn’t this a better outcome?” Qin Huai echoed, his gaze affixed on the black skull, lost in contemplation.

Beneath their feet, innumerable vengeful souls stretched their arms, yearning to reclaim the skull. Yet, under Wang Kun’s divine power, they were confined to merely snarling and clawing at the blood sea’s surface, unable to pose any real threat.

“Brother Qin, what’s our next move?” Wang Kun inquired, his gaze shifting between reluctance and pleading.

“My suggestion is to destroy it,” Qin Huai answered promptly. “This blood sea array holds the souls of millions from Qingzhou City, including warriors. If you’re looking to refine it, you’ll first need to contend with those million souls. The moment the skull integrates into your body, it’ll be like ingesting a million vengeful souls.”

Qin Huai evaluated the situation objectively. While the prospect of controlling the blood sea array intrigued him, the million vengeful souls posed a hard challenge, one he didn’t have the confidence to face.

“But I possess the black-red fish king. Notice how these vengeful souls won’t even approach within two meters of me?” Wang Kun reasoned, still wavering. His explanation seemed directed at Qin Huai, but it was more an internal debate.

“True. Elder Wang, you’re the only one with a shot at refining it,” Qin Huai acknowledged, not dissuading him. If Wang Kun could successfully refine the skull, it could prove to be a potent weapon against the Kun Peng clan and the Sacred Heart Sect.

“I’ll keep a watch here. If Elder Wang succeeds, it’ll be a win for us. If you fail, I’ll destroy it immediately. The choice is entirely yours,” Qin Huai offered, situating himself in a cross-legged posture mid-air. Given that Wang Kun had played a great role in procuring the black skull, he deserved the right to decide its fate.

Wang Kun wrestled with his decision for a long while, while Qin Huai patiently waited. Time passed, day turned into night, and back again.

“Alright! Destroy it!” Wang Kun finally declared, seemingly defeated. “If I willingly refine this black skull within me, it’s uncertain whether these million vengeful souls would follow… I can’t take the risk. I fear death too much. It’s better we destroy it.”

With a heavy heart, Wang Kun handed the black skull to Qin Huai. “Brother Qin, please do it. I can’t bring myself to,” he said, his back turned to Qin Huai, a forlorn expression on his face.

“Very well.” Accepting the black skull from Wang Kun, Qin Huai felt an immediate surge of vengeful souls. His scalp prickled at the sensation. Without a second thought, he struck the black skull.

His eyes flashed white as he activated the dragon king form. A corresponding white light streaked across his fist, culminating in a poison dragon shock.

Boom!

A muffled explosion echoed, and the black skull in Qin Huai’s grip fragmented with a resounding crack.

Countless pieces scattered in the air before cascading toward the ground. The vengeful souls beneath the blood sea reached out in a futile attempt to catch the fragments. However, as the shards neared their hands, they disintegrated into dust, dispersing in the wind.

Rumble…

The blood sea began to shake, its vibrations sending ripples through the once calm surface. Dark clouds in the sky tilted ominously, throwing the world into a disorienting whirl.

Qin Huai and Wang Kun also wobbled violently, tossed like leaves in a tempest. Despite their attempts to stabilize themselves, they seemed to have lost their bearings, tumbling erratically through the sky.

“Is the blood sea about to collapse, Brother Qin?” Wang Kun’s voice echoed, filled with panic.

“Stay steady!” Qin Huai shouted back, striving to maintain calm. His eyes darted around the spinning sky, seeking any clue that could give them an advantage.

After a period of intense turbulence, the world gradually steadied. Standing aloft in the sky, Qin Huai and Wang Kun exchanged a wordless glance. They cast their eyes downward, surveying the scene beneath them.

The blood sea remained unchanged, silently floating amid the clouds. The once ominous sky had regained its tranquility, devoid of any apocalyptic indication.

“What just happened?” Wang Kun asked, confusion etched across his face. “We definitively destroyed the array core. Why is the blood sea still undisturbed?”

“Let’s descend and investigate.” Without waiting for a response, Qin Huai dove toward the ground along the blood sea’s edge, hoping to discern whether the sea had indeed collapsed.

Yet, the scene below was disappointingly peaceful, with blood obscuring the sky above Qingzhou City.

Resurfacing, Qin Huai shook his head at the expectant Wang Kun. “I can’t see any change. What could have gone wrong?” His eyes were filled with doubt.

Wang Kun chimed in, “The tremors suggest that the black skull was connected to the blood sea array. We’re not mistaken about that. Could there be another core?”

Their realization struck simultaneously. Could there be more than one array core?

“That makes sense. An array as powerful as this would likely have multiple cores,” Qin Huai mused.

“I remember that the True Path Sect’s five-element heavenly array had five array cores. And the Three Mountains Sect in Qingzhou City had three cores for their mountain suppressing array,” Wang Kun said.

Qin Huai glanced at him, surprised. “Elder Wang, do you have knowledge about arrays?” Not only did Wang Kun possess this knowledge, but he also knew about the cores of the Three Mountains Sect’s array – information only shared among a select few within the sect.

The elder of a low-tier sect in Qingzhou City certainly didn’t have such abilities. It was beyond belief that he even knew the True Path Sect’s five-element heavenly array had five array cores.

Additionally, he was aware of the five branch families within the Kun Peng clan and was familiar with the sect’s deepest secrets. His proficiency in array formations and diverse cultivation techniques was simply astounding. There were countless such anomalies.

The more time Qin Huai spent with Wang Kun, the more he felt a chilling sense of awe towards him. This man was truly formidable. But it brought up an inevitable question: who exactly was he?

Suppressing his curiosity, Qin Huai suggested, “Elder Wang, you should investigate around the blood sea again.”

“And where will you be, Brother Qin?”

Qin Huai pointed upward. “I suspect there might be another core hidden in the clouds.”

Wang Kun grinned. “Indeed, Brother Qin is smart! I also think that if another core exists, it’s likely in the clouds directly above where we found the black skull. This is known as the illusionary flower and water moon in the array. Even if one of the cores is missing, the array will still function normally.”

“Let’s divide and conquer,” Qin Huai suggested, to which Wang Kun agreed.

Qin Huai ascended to seventy thousand feet above the ground, unhindered due to his pure-blooded Kun Peng prowess.

Before long, Qin Huai heard the echoes of battle below, accompanied by an occasional feather floating past his ear. With his enhanced vision, he peered through the thick clouds and spotted a white skull suspended in the mist, just as Wang Kun had predicted.

Bang!

Without hesitation, he struck, shattering the white skull with a thunderous punch.

However, as seconds passed, the blood sea remained silent, its response or lack thereof, a mystery.