Chapter 389: Harmony

Watching Yaoguang bustle about inside the Heavenly Dragon-Slaying Array, Wu Changfeng, Qi Sha, Ling Ruogu, and Chi Yu all wore strange expressions, though deep in their eyes lurked an astonishment they could not hide.

Wan Liugui, Li Hanqiu's master, could not help turning to his disciple. "Don't tell me Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang knows array arts too?"

"Array arts..." Li Hanqiu thought back to the many arrays Yaoguang had improved one after another during his days in the Great Cangwu World. The odds were very high indeed.

"Now that you mention it, I remember now. Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang most certainly understands array arts!" Wu Changfeng suddenly spoke up, gazing at the Heavenly Dragon-Slaying Array spread across the heavens. "I once told Sect Master Yaoguang about the array's flaws and warned him that a traitor working from the inside could keep it from activating smoothly. So when the Eight Desolations and Dark Fiend Lords led their forces in, and the array didn't activate right away, I thought the deputy sect master hadn't believed me. It was only when it deployed so quickly afterward that I realized he hadn't just accepted my counsel, but he had already improved the Heavenly Dragon-Slaying Array itself!"

"Improving it?!" Ling Ruogu, Chi Yu, and Qi Sha looked horrified. "Improving the Heavenly Dragon-Slaying Array?!"

"That's right! I remember clearly that the array in Deputy Sect Master Song Youque's hands never had this kind of power!" Wu Changfeng's eyes brimmed with admiration. "To be able to improve the Heavenly Dragon-Slaying Array... Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang's attainments in array arts must place him among the very top array grandmasters."

"A top-tier array grandmaster?"

Li Hanqiu knew that in this world, "array grandmaster" was an honorific reserved for array casters who could lay down arrays that amplified cultivators at the Void-Piercing, Void-Refining, and Void-Shattering Realms, carrying far more weight than the same title did in the Great Cangwu World. In Yaoguang's terms, a top array grandmaster was roughly equivalent to...

"A level 12 array caster?"

Measured against Yaoguang's achievements, an artifact paragon at a hundred years old, invincible at the Void-Refining Realm, slayer of two Void-Shattering cultivators with the power of an array, that standard felt a little unremarkable.

Wu Changfeng, meanwhile, was at a loss for words. A top-tier array grandmaster would be a coveted figure even among the Ten Great Immortal Dao Sects, enjoying treatment that outstripped Void-Piercing elders.

After all, the arrays they laid could amplify even Void-Shattering supreme elders. They might not match a level 13 array, which could trap and kill a Void-Shattering cultivator with only a Void-Refining cultivator presiding over it, but if a Void-Shattering cultivator took control of the array, any other Void-Shattering cultivator who dared charge in would find it hard to escape with their life.

Yet, in these people's eyes, someone capable of laying such a killing array was apparently nothing special?

They had gotten spoiled.

Half a month later, after finishing improvements to the key sections and ensuring the Heavenly Dragon-Slaying Array had the power to trap and kill even the three Heavenly Dao Sect supreme elders waiting outside, Yaoguang finally took a break.

"Alright. Time to go meet the Heavenly Dao Sect supreme elders. We shouldn't keep them waiting too long," he said.

With that, the group reopened the Heavenly Dragon-Slaying Array that had sealed the city for over a month.

***

Outside, the Southern Capital's perimeter was bustling. Void-Piercing and Void-Refining cultivators waited beyond the city, craning their necks.

Among them were cultivators from the Heavenly Dao Sect and the surrounding sects; even the Immortal Martial Sect, the Great Shang Immortal Dynasty, and the True Dragon Dynasty had sent people.

At a glance, the Void-Piercing and Void-Refining cultivators together numbered over a hundred, and the Golden Core cultivators who had come to "lend support" on behalf of neighboring powers were more numerous still.

Upon learning that Yaoguang had weathered the tribulation and used the Heavenly Dragon-Slaying Array to trap and kill two Void-Shattering and six Void-Refining fiendish cultivators, all the factions that had been sitting on the fence rushed to step forward, conveying their goodwill toward this lord of the southern domain.

"Two Void-Shattering and five Void-Refining cultivators, all swallowed up by this Heavenly Dragon-Slaying Array. Simply unbelievable."

Pan Yuan, the Mountain Guardian King, Qin Zhengfa, and the other Void-Refining cultivators who had bought Dao Artifacts from Yaoguang or placed orders with him gathered together, gazing at the enormous array shimmering with brilliant light as though staring at some primordial beast.

"Even relying on the array's might, for a single Void-Refining cultivator to accomplish this much is still nothing short of a miracle. Add to that how he previously slew Evil Eye and Crimson Malevolence, two Void-Refining fiendish cultivators, without any outside help, and Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang's strength can well and truly be called invincible at the Void-Refining Realm." The Mountain Guardian King's eyes gleamed.

With this many Void-Shattering and Void-Refining experts slain, the Dao Artifacts Yaoguang had captured surely could not be counted on one hand. The Eight Desolations Fiend Lord in particular had reached the Void-Shattering Realm through the Great Dao of void, and the potent Dao Artifacts on his person were hardly few.

Even if Yaoguang failed to deliver his custom-ordered Dao Artifact within the century, the artifacts from the Eight Desolations Fiend Lord would more than cover his losses. Either way, he had come out ahead on that deal from a few years back.

"Invincible at the Void-Refining Realm! Many Void-Shattering supreme elders of the Ten Great Immortal Dao Sects go their whole lives without slaying a single Void-Shattering cultivator of the same realm. Yaoguang did all this as a Void-Refining cultivator. Even with an array's power behind him, a battle record like this is unprecedented." Qin Zhengfa sighed with heartfelt feelings. "The young really are formidable."

Recalling how he had nearly offended this lord of the Heavenly Dao Sect's southern domain over an ignorant junior on his first visit to the Southern Capital, this elder of the True Dragon Dynasty quietly counted his blessings.

He made up his mind: the moment he returned, he would exile that worthless wretch and leave him to fend for himself, before he could bring any more trouble down on the True Dragon Dynasty's imperial family.

Not far away, Li Baijie and Lu Wanshi, who had come as the Heavenly Dao Sect's reinforcements, were already instructing their own Void-Piercing cultivators.

"When Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang receives us, remember to declare at once that both our families are willing to withdraw from the southern domain, and that the Enlightenment Spirit Liquid and Longevity Fruit industries under our control will be handed over to Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang, to dispose of as he sees fit."

"And not just those two industries. The land deeds and shops in the Southern Capital will also be given to Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang as our apology. Keep your tone respectful when you speak, and beg Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang to accept this small token of our contrition. Understood?"

The two Void-Refining peak masters gave their instructions with the utmost gravity, and Lu Qianshan and Li Guiren nodded along, not daring to show the slightest discontent.

Everyone understood that after this battle, Yaoguang's position in the southern domain was unshakable. And with his talent, if he kept growing and reached the Void-Shattering Realm, contending for the position of Heavenly Dao Sect's sect master was not a mere dream.

Many of the representatives gathered here had come precisely to get a foot in the door. Even those whose positions made it awkward to switch sides immediately were determined to bury the hatchet with Yaoguang as quickly as possible.

Otherwise, by the time Yaoguang became sect master of the Heavenly Dao Sect, no apology would come soon enough.

A short distance off, Chi Yun, a Void-Shattering supreme elder of the Heavenly Dao Sect, watched the scene with a faint smile.

"Jing Yuntian, Zong Wenxian, and the rest of them are in trouble now." He glanced toward the Heavenly Dao Sect. "Did they think fleeing back to the sect meant they could pretend none of it ever happened? It won't be that easy. I don't believe for a second that Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang is the type to swallow a loss quietly."

Beside him, a middle-aged man said in a low voice, "But that might be good news for us. Only if they fight can we profit from the sidelines. After all, the one we back is Shen Junyan, the deputy sect master of the northern domain."

This Void-Piercing cultivator was the most outstanding of Supreme Elder Chi Yun's descendants, known as the Iron Sword Perfected Lord. Yet, even with a supreme elder behind him, this supposedly finest descendant had only reached the Void-Piercing Realm, which was exactly why Supreme Elder Chi Yun backed Shen Junyan.

Among his own descendants, even with the most generous of resources, hardly any were worth showing off.

"Shen Junyan..." Chi Yun fell silent.

Weighing the achievements this deputy sect master had managed in the northern domain across several centuries, even with their backing, against what Yaoguang had done in under ten years in the southern domain on his own... The two were not remotely in the same class.

At that thought, he sighed. "Find a time for Shen Junyan to pay Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang a visit."

The Iron Sword Perfected Lord looked up in shock. "Ancestor?!"

"Shen Junyan can't win against Yaoguang. Rather than fight it, it's better to declare ourselves early and plant some goodwill." Chi Yun glanced at the endlessly churning Heavenly Dragon-Slaying Array. "The future of the Heavenly Dao Sect will, in all likelihood, belong to this Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang."

The Iron Sword Perfected Lord could hardly believe his ears. Was his own ancestor about to switch allegiance?!

***

Amid all this chatter, the Heavenly Dragon-Slaying Array dispersed once more, and Yaoguang stepped out.

The instant they saw him, Supreme Elder Chi Yun, the Mountain Guardian King, Pan Yuan, Qin Zhengfa, Palace Master Zheng Yang, and the rest all pressed forward to greet him.

"Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang, have those Yin Lunar Sect fiendish cultivators been wiped out? The moment I heard fiendish cultivators were harassing the southern domain, I brought my people to your aid. I only hope we can still be of use."

"The Immortal Martial Sect couldn't muster its forces in time, so I hurried ahead alone. But our troops are assembled now. If you still need them, the Immortal Martial Sect's reinforcements can be here at once."

"Deputy Sect Master, seeing you safe and sound puts my heart at ease. I knew those Yin Lunar Sect devils could never lay a finger on you."

Every one of the Void-Refining cultivators wore a face full of concern, their eagerness to help all but overflowing.

It really seemed that at a single word from him, they would all answer the call and march on the Yin Lunar Sect, making it pay dearly for this invasion of the southern domain.

Yaoguang knew, of course, that this was mere courtesy. They might not mind waving flags and cheering from the rear, but ask them to actually do something and the excuses would pile up fast.

"You are all too kind. The fiendish cultivators have already been destroyed by us, but I thank you all the same for your support. I'll have a banquet prepared for everyone at once." Never one to withhold a few benefits, Yaoguang added, "Also, I've obtained a batch of Dao Artifacts that I need to sell. Take a look when the time comes. If any suit you, and the offer isn't too low, they're yours to buy."

A batch of Dao Artifacts!

At those words, every Void-Piercing and Void-Refining cultivator present lit up. Unlike the grand auction before, only a hundred or so Void-Piercing and Void-Refining cultivators were here, a notch weaker in both wealth and influence, which meant they could take these Dao Artifacts for at least ten or twenty percent less than at the last auction.

Ten or twenty percent off a Dao Artifact... that was at least one or two hundred million! Or even up to four hundred million! What a staggering concession.

The Void-Piercing and Void-Refining cultivators who walked the paths of darkness and the void in particular quietly rejoiced that they had made the right call rushing to the Southern Capital in time.

"Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang, you're generous indeed."

"Looks like today we'll get another feast for the eyes, a glimpse into the mysteries of one Dao Artifact after another."

"Thank you very much, Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang."

Amid endless congratulations and words of gratitude, the crowd swept into the Southern Capital around Yaoguang, the atmosphere as harmonious as could be.