Chapter 704 689: Breaking the Formation

As instructed, Yan Bing followed Shen Lang's directions, entered the Array, and stood in the Qian Position.

The Array immediately activated with a frenzy. One after another, black Locking Chains whipped wildly toward Yan Bing.

All hope lost, Yan Bing closed his eyes...

"HWHISH!"

It was as if whips were cracking past his ears. Yan Bing could clearly hear them lash by, one after another.

However, the sensation of his Divine Soul being torn apart that he had anticipated never came...

"Left foot on the Qian Position, right foot on the Xun Position. What are you spacing out for on your tiptoes?"

From outside the Array, Shen Lang's slightly impatient voice rang out.

Yan Bing subconsciously opened his eyes and looked at his body and hands...

Completely unharmed!

'This... How can this be? Don't tell me these Soul-Locking Spirit-Binding Chains can't restrain my Divine Soul? Is it because of my special Ice and Fire Physique?' Yan Bing was overjoyed.

Shen Lang rolled his eyes. "In your dreams... Stand still and don't move rashly. This Array is a mix of real and illusory. One wrong step and you'll be doomed beyond recovery. Your fate will be even worse than the one on the cross."

Yan Bing shuddered, the smile on his face instantly freezing.

He carefully and cautiously placed his right foot on the Xun Position.

Sure enough, the Array trembled again, and a dozen or so black Locking Chains lashed out.

This time, Yan Bing didn't close his eyes. Instead, he stared wide-eyed...

And just as he expected, he saw the Locking Chains pass through his body like phantoms, not causing him the slightest bit of harm!

'Holy shit, this Soul-Locking Spirit-Binding Array is too bizarre! These chains, a combination of real and illusory... even Quasi-Emperor Martial Realm Powerhouses couldn't tell the difference!' A sliver of hope rose in Yan Bing's heart. He was finally starting to believe in Shen Lang.

Dealing with the Candle Dragon Black Flame was a testament to immense strength.

And for him to casually mention the Qian and Xun positions... that couldn't possibly be a coincidence. How could anyone find a flaw in such a vast and complex Array, with its countless variations, by sheer luck?

Even he couldn't see through this Soul-Locking Spirit-Binding Array. Even the Naluo King had no comment on it, which just showed how strange and powerful this Array was.

But now, this strange kid seemed to have found a way to break it!

'Since this strange kid has found a flaw in the Array, and he's started touching the Candle Dragon Black Flame, apparently preparing to deal with the Candle Dragon Black Flame Barrier... if that's the case...'

'...doesn't that mean the Naluo King can actually be saved?!'

"Young brother, what's next?" Yan Bing was ecstatic. His form of address for Shen Lang had changed from "kid" to "young brother."

"Turn around. Left foot still, right foot on the Dui position... Gather your power in the soles of your feet and channel it into the Array!"

Following Shen Lang's commands, Yan Bing began to move continuously within the Array, as if he were dancing.

While Yan Bing was moving, Shen Lang's hands never stopped, sending one Seal Technique after another into the Array with pinpoint accuracy.

For a moment, a fierce wind howled within the Array, and the Locking Chains were all bent in one direction like reeds in a storm!

"Stab the Light of a Thousand Years in your hand into the ground right between your feet."

As fine beads of sweat appeared on Yan Bing's face, Shen Lang finally paused and gave the order.

"Alright!"

Not questioning how Shen Lang recognized the "Light of a Thousand Years," Yan Bing did as he was told and plunged the longsword into the ground.

The next moment, Shen Lang rushed into the Array and slammed his palm down on the hilt of the sword!

In a flash of Spirit Light, the longsword plunged deep into the earth, buried up to its hilt.

Arcs of lightning began to spread out from the Light of a Thousand Years, covering the entire Array like a spiderweb!

The instant the lightning appeared, the Array began to shake violently, as if in an earthquake!

At this moment, Shen Lang, who had long been prepared, waved his right hand. A small, golden bead radiating immense Buddha Light fell onto a certain spot within the Array.

"BUZZ!"

A massive, illusory Tai Chi Diagram materialized out of thin air within the violently shaking Array.

The Light of a Thousand Years and the Star Moon Bodhi Prayer Beads happened to land in the Yin and Yang positions, respectively, as if acting as a balancing force!

At that moment...

"HISS HISS HISS!"

Every one of the black Locking Chains within the Array retracted into the ground. Without exception, the chains piercing the Naluo King's body also pulled back.

On the ground, a strange Array formed from countless black lines was fully revealed.

Then, the Array slowly rotated, suddenly bursting with a blinding light. In an instant, it vanished without a trace, revealing the bluestone slabs beneath, which were now covered in cracks.

"You broke it! You broke it! Young brother, you're really something else! Amazing!" Yan Bing gave a thumbs-up, nearly dancing with joy.

Shen Lang shook his head. "Broke it? It's not that simple. To truly break this Array would take at least five or six hours. I've only managed to suppress it by force."

"Uh... Suppressed it by force? You mean the Array still exists? Will it pop back up?" Yan Bing was stunned. He pulled back the right foot he had been about to move, not daring to budge an inch.

"Half an hour. We only have half an hour," Shen Lang said with a nod. "If we can break through this Candle Dragon Black Flame within half an hour, everything will be resolved."

Yan Bing subconsciously wiped away a bead of sweat. "And if we can't break it in half an hour?"

Shen Lang slowly walked around to the other side of the Barrier, gazing at the fiercely burning Black Flame Fire Circle in the air. "Plan before you act. It's victory or death!"

Beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down Yan Bing's face. He quickly followed behind Shen Lang and asked, "How do you plan to break this Black Flame Barrier? Didn't you say before that the Vermilion Bird Divine Fire on you isn't enough to contend with this Candle Dragon Black Flame?"

Shen Lang didn't answer. Instead, he stood before the Candle Dragon Black Flame Barrier and closed his eyes.

In the time that had passed, the wisp of Candle Dragon Black Flame he had previously devoured had been completely broken down and reassembled by the Tai Chi Diagram.

With the experience of deconstructing the Vermilion Bird Divine Fire, coupled with the continuous growth of the Tai Chi Diagram, breaking down this Candle Dragon Black Flame was far easier than dealing with the Vermilion Bird Divine Fire.

Now, Shen Lang closed his eyes, his entire mind and body focused on studying the Candle Dragon Black Flame within his Tai Chi Diagram.

With Shen Lang's current Cultivation, the Vermilion Bird Divine Fire released by the Tai Chi Diagram was indeed not enough to deal with the Candle Dragon Black Flame.

That's why, from the very beginning, Shen Lang had set his sights on the Candle Dragon Black Flame itself.

If the Vermilion Bird Divine Fire couldn't handle the Candle Dragon Black Flame, what about using the Candle Dragon Black Flame to handle the Candle Dragon Black Flame?

Inside the Tai Chi Diagram, immense Primordial Qi converged toward Shen Lang, forming clouds of Candle Dragon Black Flame around him!

The Tai Chi Diagram was a method that defied the heavens to an extreme degree. Even Shen Lang, who had known of its power for a long time, couldn't help but show a look of ecstasy!

In just the short time it took to guide Yan Bing through disabling the Soul-Locking Spirit-Binding Array, Shen Lang had divided his attention and already completely deconstructed and reassembled the Candle Dragon Black Flame!

Now that he possessed the Candle Dragon Black Flame, dealing with the Candle Dragon Black Flame Barrier would be much simpler.

...

Beside Shen Lang, Yan Bing paced back and forth like an ant on a hot pan, not stopping for a moment.

Shen Lang had sounded so serious before, saying they only had half an hour. But now he had suddenly and inexplicably closed his eyes. Yan Bing had no idea what he was up to.

This was a race against time. Why come to the edge of the Barrier and close his eyes?

Yan Bing wanted to voice his dissatisfaction, but the thought of the terrifying power of the strange youth before him made him swallow his words.

"Uh... Young brother, I was thinking..."

Yan Bing reached out to place a hand on Shen Lang's left shoulder.

Just as his palm was about to touch Shen Lang's shoulder, an indescribable sense of crisis suddenly washed over him!

Yan Bing was an Emperor Martial Realm Eighth Heaven powerhouse. Although he didn't understand what a mere King Martial Realm kid could possibly have, besides the Vermilion Bird Divine Fire, that could threaten him, the moment he felt that sense of crisis, his eyes flickered, and he snatched his hand back in a flash!

"POOF!"

The very instant Yan Bing retracted his hand, a surge of black flame erupted from Shen Lang's body!

The moment the black flame appeared, it instantly enveloped him, forming what looked like a Protective Shield of black fire!

And at that moment, Shen Lang finally... opened his eyes!

"Candle Dragon Black Flame? How is this possible!"

The Naluo King, who had been silently observing Shen Lang from the cross, couldn't contain his shock and blurted it out.

"What!" Yan Bing, standing next to Shen Lang, was completely dumbfounded.

Even if the Candle Dragon itself suddenly appeared before him, Yan Bing wouldn't have been this shocked.

But an unknown kid, whose Cultivation was clearly only at the King Martial Realm, had first produced Vermilion Bird Divine Fire from within his body, and now even Candle Dragon Black Flame had appeared...

'Don't tell me he devoured that wisp of Candle Dragon Black Flame before, and then... This is completely illogical! It's too terrifying! How can such a monster exist in this world! It's simply unheard of!' Yan Bing's mouth hung wide open, and he couldn't close it for a long time.

It wasn't just Yan Bing who looked horrified; a strange light also gleamed in the eyes of the Naluo King, who was still nailed to the cross!

Seeing the Candle Dragon Black Flame burning on Shen Lang's body, the Naluo King had a faint idea of what he was planning to do.

Just as he thought...

Shen Lang slowly approached the Barrier, then spread his arms wide as if to embrace it!

Sensing the external force, the Black Flame Fire Circle in the air above suddenly transformed, forming a cylindrical Black Flame Barrier that blocked Shen Lang.

And Shen Lang, as if hugging a giant pillar, slowly pressed his entire body against it.

At this moment, Shen Lang's body was wreathed in extremely pure Candle Dragon Flame. The pillar of fire was also Candle Dragon Black Flame. When the two came into contact, the Barrier only trembled slightly for a moment before returning to calm.

"This... What is he doing?" Yan Bing muttered to himself as he wiped away sweat.

The Naluo King spoke with a grave expression, "He should be sensing the power of the Candle Dragon Black Flame within the Barrier, as well as the frequency at which the Black Flame burns..."

Yan Bing's jaw nearly dropped. "To break a barrier like this, that method is indeed the safest. But the problem is, even with the Candle Dragon Black Flame for protection, something like this would take at least ten days to half a month to have any effect, right?"

"And now we have less than half an hour..."

A peculiar glint flashed in the Naluo King's eyes as he suddenly said something that completely baffled Yan Bing: "Young brother, you and I... have we met before?"