Chapter 569: Seven Star Earth Element Array

"Damn it, it got away."

Tang Zhao roared and was about to give chase.

"Don't chase it," Elder Tianyi ordered in a low voice. The light in his eyes flickered, his expression dark and uncertain.

Tang Zhao halted and looked at him, bewildered. "Ancestor?"

Elder Tianyi's face was grim. "There are too many Martial Artists outside. If you go out, you'll alert everyone and cause a commotion. For the sake of the sect's plan, we cannot expose ourselves."

Tang Zhao frowned. "But that Profound Beast-level Demon King saw our preparations. What if it leaks the information?"

Elder Tianyi contemplated for a moment before speaking in a serious tone, "That's unlikely. The Demon Race has never had a talent for things like Arrays. Even a Tier Nine Demon Emperor couldn't hope to see through our preparations in the Ancient Hall. Besides, that Profound Beast-level Demon King's Soul Thought is already tainted with my Soul Poison. Even if it got away, it won't survive the night."

"It's just... for such a strange Profound Beast-level Demon King to suddenly appear in Ancient Yang City at a time like this, and to come straight to this Ancient Hall... I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong."

As a Seventh Grade Soul Refiner, Elder Tianyi was sharp enough to sense that something was amiss.

Tang Zhao was taken aback, his expression turning grave. "Ancestor, are you saying that Profound Beast-level Demon King charged in here on purpose?"

If that was the case, they were in trouble. That Profound Beast-level Demon King definitely had a motive.

Elder Tianyi shook his head. "I'm not sure about that. Let's not dwell on it for now. Fortunately, our work here will be finished in another day. By then, even if other factions discover us, it will be too late. However, you should send someone to investigate. I still feel there's something strange about a Profound Beast-level Demon King suddenly appearing in Ancient Yang City right now."

Tang Zhao said respectfully, "Yes."

Elder Tianyi sank into the ornate chair, his face dark and his gaze wavering. He muttered, "That last move from the Profound Beast-level Demon King… could it have been a secret soul combat technique of the Demon Race? Why did it feel like a human's Soul Skill?"

In an inn outside the imperial palace, a streak of black light shot inside, disappearing in an instant.

PTUI!

Ye Xuan's eyes snapped open, and he spat out a mouthful of black blood. With a grave expression, he first erased all traces of his Devouring Martial Soul, then immediately began to circulate the Formless Soul Skill.

In his Dantian, the black Devouring Martial Soul seemed listless. A hazy black light enveloped it, constantly corroding it. Ye Xuan circulated his dense Soul Power, continuously cleansing the Devouring Martial Soul in his Profound Sea.

His entire body flickered with a hazy profound glow, and multicolored lights flowed over him like a brilliant, seven-colored kaleidoscope.

But no matter how Ye Xuan tried to cleanse it, the layer of black corrosive energy on the Devouring Martial Soul could not be washed away.

Ye Xuan's expression changed. He realized that this black corrosive energy was, in fact, Soul Poison.

Soul Poison is a toxin that can corrode Martial Souls and Soul Thoughts. Once afflicted, it is incredibly difficult to remove completely. It seeps into the Martial Soul and Soul Thought, bit by bit, until it slowly dissolves them into nothing.

'This Profound Mystery Sect Soul Refiner is truly vicious.'

Ye Xuan's face was livid. He had fallen for that man's tricks twice now—first the Nether Heart Seed, and now the Soul Poison. The thought made him grind his teeth in fury.

An ordinary Martial Artist would be doomed if they encountered Soul Poison, but Ye Xuan was different. He forcefully activated the Endless Molten Flame in his mind. Instantly, a pure aura of Celestial Fire surged into his Profound Sea and began to burn away the layer of black corrosive energy on his Devouring Martial Soul.

Soul Poison is difficult to dispel, but it can be refined.

A moment later, the Endless Molten Flame extracted a single drop of black liquid—the Soul Poison itself. Without the poison, the remaining black corrosive energy was nothing but pure Soul Power, which the Devouring Martial Soul instantly devoured.

Ye Xuan took out a jade box and placed the drop of Soul Poison inside, finally letting out a long sigh of relief.

But despite having refined the Soul Poison, there was no hint of joy on Ye Xuan's face. He had already seen what the Profound Mystery Sect was setting up: the Seven Star Earth Element Array.

The Seven Star Earth Element Array was an extremely powerful Seventh-level Array. Its greatest strength was its trapping effect. Once activated, it could envelop an entire region, creating a separate space and trapping everyone within.

Once trapped, unless one was a Tier Eight Martial Emperor with the power to shatter dimensions, even a Tier Seven Peak Martial King could not hope to escape.

For the great Profound Mystery Sect to be secretly setting up the Seven Star Earth Element Array in Ancient Yang City... their intentions were all too clear.

This was supposed to be a reconciliation between the two sects, but it might just be a conspiracy orchestrated by the Profound Mystery Sect.

'The Seven Star Earth Element Array needs a total of seven Array Bases, arranged like the Seven-Stars, that must be activated in unison to form a complete Array. The Array Base in the imperial palace must be the core one. I wonder how far along the Profound Mystery Sect is in setting up this Array?'

Ye Xuan quickly took out a map of Ancient Yang City and began to study it carefully.

For an ordinary person, deducing the locations of the other Array Bases from just one would be as difficult as climbing to the heavens. But for Ye Xuan, a Ninth-level Array Master in his past life, it wasn't so hard.

Soon, he had several theories based on the geography of Ancient Yang City.

Without hesitation, Ye Xuan left the inn and sped toward the first location he suspected.

This was a small mountain in Ancient Yang City dotted with pavilions and pagodas. It was a popular and lively scenic spot, with numerous tourists resting on its peak, creating a bustling atmosphere.

Ye Xuan blended in with the tourists and walked up the small mountain, carefully searching for any subtle clues.

Gradually, he left the crowded area and came to a desolate place behind the small mountain.

'It really is here.'

Before he even stepped inside, a faint fluctuation from the array patterns registered in his mind. It was incredibly subtle; if he hadn't been actively searching for it, he would have never noticed it, even just passing by.

Just as Ye Xuan was about to enter, his footsteps suddenly paused, and he quickly hid behind a rock.

Two figures slowly walked past the rock. One of them spoke. "This Broken Peak Mountain is just a tourist spot. I have no idea why the Vice Sect Master sent us to stand guard here. I'm bored to death."

The other piped up, "Hmph, I can handle being bored. What really pisses me off is that the Vice Sect Master actually ordered us to obey the Profound Mystery Sect. Our Nine Yang Sect is the top faction in Gale Light Academy! Why should we listen to them? It should be the other way around!"

The first man spoke again. "It's the Vice Sect Master's order, what can we do? Let's just get back to patrolling. Vice Sect Master Yan Song was dead serious when he gave the order. If we don't complete our task and he gets angry, we'll be the ones in trouble."

"Sigh."

The other man sighed. The two walked off, their voices slowly fading into the distance.

After the two had moved a fair distance away, Ye Xuan stood up. He saw their attire and confirmed that it was indeed the uniform of the Nine Yang Sect.

'This Array Base is part of the Seven Star Earth Element Array set up by the Profound Mystery Sect, so why are two Martial Kings from the Nine Yang Sect guarding it? From what they said, does this mean the Nine Yang Sect and the Profound Mystery Sect have teamed up?'

Ye Xuan drew in a sharp, cold breath. He realized he had stumbled upon a massive secret. If this was true, then were the peace talks truly about peace? The Nine Yang Sect was the one who initiated these talks. If this was all a Profound Mystery Sect conspiracy, then…

Ye Xuan didn't dare to imagine the consequences. And what's more, besides the Nine Yang Sect, the other eight major factions were also initiators of the talks. Had they also collaborated with the Profound Mystery Sect, or were they simply being kept in the dark?

Next, Ye Xuan visited the other locations he had identified. One was a mountain forest within Ancient Yang City, another was the ruins of an old academy, and another was a Lake Heart Island…

He visited six locations in total. Each one had a reaction from an Array, and each was guarded by two Martial King Level experts.

This weighed heavily on Ye Xuan's heart. His only comfort was that these locations were all secretly guarded by members of the Profound Mystery Sect and the Nine Yang Sect. He didn't see a single expert from any other faction. This suggested that the other eight major factions were likely being kept in the dark, unaware of the truth.

But now, six of the Seven Star Earth Element Array's locations were already in place. Only the site at the imperial palace remained unfinished. Once it was complete, the entirety of Ancient Yang City would become a giant cage, falling completely under the Profound Mystery Sect's control.

'I have to find a way.'

Ye Xuan frowned, deep in thought. The best solution, without a doubt, was to destroy the Seven Star Earth Element Array. However, each Array Base was guarded by powerful experts. Destroying them secretly was impossible.

He thought about each location one by one. Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

A short while later, Ye Xuan arrived before a large lake.

This lake within the city was called Profound West Lake. It had once been a famous scenic spot in the Imperial Capital of Ancient Yang City, a place where countless scholars and beauties came to relax.

But the Ancient Yang Empire was long gone, and Profound West Lake had become desolate and abandoned.

SPLASH.

Without a moment's hesitation, Ye Xuan slipped into the water, silently swimming toward the Lake Heart Island where the Array Base was located.

"Huh, I think I just saw someone jump into the lake."

At the lakeside, a Martial Artist rubbed his eyes and looked toward the center of the lake.

Another Martial Artist slapped him on the back of the head. "Don't change the subject!" he said viciously. "You still haven't paid back the million Profound Coins you owe me. If you don't pay up, I'll be the one making *you* jump in the lake."

The first Martial Artist immediately forgot about someone jumping into the lake. With a crestfallen look, he said, "Brother Xiong, I really don't have the money right now. Just give me one month, I swear I'll pay you back within a month."

"Hmph." Brother Xiong glared at him. "You know my reputation in Ancient Yang City. My name is Xiong Batian. If you don't pay me back in a month, I'll sell that wife of yours to a brothel. She might be a little old, but at a hundred Profound Coins a pop, she'll have it paid off after about ten thousand customers."