Nine Dragons Empress! Blood Sea Array Core!

Boom!

Without further hesitation, Qin Huai plunged from the sky towards Spirit Gate. As he touched ground, a gentle flap of his wings shattered the thick frost clinging to his feathers, sending shards of ice cascading to the ground.

Barely had he landed when Gou Jie materialized at his side. “I counted the days on my fingers and knew Alliance Master would return today,” he said, squinting slightly. The number of decorative cats on the whisk in his hand had noticeably decreased.

“Seems your mathematical skills have vastly improved,” Qin Huai commented. He folded his wings and took in the scene outside the Spirit Gate in the company of Gou Jie.

Compared to several months prior, not only had the number of individuals not reduced, but it had escalated. Commoners in ragged attire, carrying their families on their backs, queued dispiritedly in front of Lingkou Pass.

“Why?” inquired Qin Huai.

“Isn’t it the handiwork of the Sacred Heart Sect?” Gou Jie answered with a resigned expression. “Qingzhou City is now a slaughterhouse for their followers. Some, despite their lack of strength, are loath to abandon this quick-progress cultivation method. Hence, they propagate the Sacred Heart’s teachings in other counties of Qingzhou, bringing about widespread suffering.”

Qin Huai interjected, “Aren’t those county governors capable of sealing off the borders to…” His voice trailed off, followed by a mirthless laugh. “Could it be that many cult followers in Qingzhou City were originally high-ranking officials or county governors?”

“Exactly,” Gou Jie confirmed with a bitter smile. “That’s why those county cities crumble with the slightest push.”

“Indeed, this is what happens when those Sacred Heart Sect fanatics are allowed to run rampant,” Qin Huai muttered, clenching his fists.

From Gou Jie, he got an overview of the refugee situation. As per Lingkou Pass, the population of the ten counties had swelled beyond hundreds of millions, over tenfold the populace of Qingzhou City. Now the demographic hub of Qingzhou, the vast influx of labor, capital, medicines, and seeds from various provinces rapidly developed the initially barren East Qingzhou counties.

With the martial might of the Nine Dragons Sect keeping them in check, any minor unrest was promptly quelled.

“Initially, we feared this massive demographic shift might be detrimental to the ten counties. But your wife efficiently managed every crisis and established her authority and rules,” praised Gou Jie. “In half a year, the ten counties have flourished beyond recognition.”

Gou Jie didn’t hold back his admiration for Li Shaoxiang. “The most crucial achievement is the introduction of a potent fertilizer from an unknown source, which escalated the food production in the East Qingzhou counties. The stockpiled food of several years is more than enough to feed the massive influx of refugees.”

“Madam’s capability indeed surpasses my expectations,” Qin Huai acknowledged, aware of the tremendous efforts behind Gou Jie’s few words.

Gou Jie couldn’t resist a jab, “The alliance master’s wife has quite a fan base among the populace now.”

“Oh?” Qin Huai turned to Gou Jie with curiosity.

“They call her the Nine Dragons Empress!”

“Empress…” Qin Huai chuckled. “That’s a pretty good title.”

As he surveyed the mountain teeming with refugees, he could feel his responsibilities weighing heavier. Suddenly, he paused, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.

“What’s the matter?” Gou Jie queried.

“Do you see any starlight?”

“Starlight? What starlight?” Gou Jie followed Qin Huai’s gaze to the crowd of refugees. “No?”

Qin Huai observed the long line of refugees, seeing specks of pure white starlight floating gently from their bodies. Suspended mid-air, they merged into a faintly luminous river of stars, a sight of breathtaking magnificence.

“What do you mean?” Gou Jie asked, casting a dubious glance at Qin Huai. “Alliance Master, perhaps you’re too tired,” he suggested solemnly, “You should rest for a while. Even as visceral prefecture realm experts, overexerting our mental strength could lead to our downfall.”

“Perhaps…” Qin Huai shook his head, pushing the peculiar sensation to the back of his mind. While he acknowledged the validity of Gou Jie’s words, he had no luxury of time for respite.

“How’s Wuji Mountain now?” Qin Huai inquired, veering straight to the point.

“Wuji Mountain remains undisturbed. That white-robed king hasn’t shown up since his last attack, as though he deems Wuji Mountain unworthy of his attention,” Gou Jie replied, his mood plummeting at the memory. The white-robed king’s onslaught had cast a heavy pall over everyone in the Qingzhou Alliance, a stifling shadow of impending danger.

“I’m glad you’re safe. I plan to visit Wuji Mountain soon. Anything I need to pay attention to” Qin Huai asked as they strolled.

“Are you seeking information on array formations?” Gou Jie ventured a guess.

“How did you know?” A surprised Qin Huai asked.

“As a scholar, it’s only logical,” Gou Jie gloated. “I’ve already gathered books on array formations for you, over there in that small house.”

As they moved along, Gou Jie continued, “These books are not just from Wuji Mountain but also from all over Qingzhou City. Considering the grand array the Sacred Heart Sect has managed to establish, it won’t easily be destroyed.

“Even though they have an arrangement with the Kun Peng clan for guarding the array, I doubt these two groups are genuinely collaborating. Each must have its own ulterior motives. That’s why I decided to prepare in advance.”

Upon reaching the house, or more accurately, a two-story attic, they pushed open the door and stepped inside. Hundreds of books lay before them, covering basic array formation arrangements to more complex concepts.

“Seems I’ve got some research to do.” Qin Huai sighed, commencing his exploration of the book-filled attic.

Ten days later, Qin Huai’s face wore a grave expression. “It all leads back to the game.”

Despite reading all the books, he couldn’t discern the location of the array eye of the blood sea. According to these books, the blood sea should have dissipated after the shattering of the black and white skull.

He picked up the final book, documenting the True Path Sect’s five-element heavenly array from Wuji Mountain. As he read through the initial chapter, he couldn’t help but admire the audacious claim of forming an independent world through the array.

Nonetheless, this audacity sparked hope within Qin Huai. The five-element heavenly array was divided into the bright eye and dark eye, also known as the “dead eye” and “living eye”. The bright eye was the elemental object of the five directions, while the dark eye served as the array’s focal point, where all the energy returned.

Even if the bright eye collapsed, its energy would flow into the dark eye, thereby preserving the array. Moreover, the energy of the bright eye would reinforce the dark eye, making the array’s eye virtually unbreakable.

Reading these lines, Qin Huai experienced a tremor of profound understanding. “I see…”

Upon studying the layout of the five-element heavenly array, he finally made sense of the enigma of the blood sea. All his questions were answered — why Wang Kun grew stronger over time, why he possessed the resilience of an undying cockroach, bursting forth with formidable strength at death’s door, and why Wang Kun’s nose bled after the shattering of the black-and-white skull due to his potent vitality.

At that moment, the answers crystallized in Qin Huai’s mind. Wang Kun was the array core of the blood sea!