Chapter 40: True Inheritance of Array Combat

"Array, rise!"

Above the Skeleton Mountain Market, the fully restored Hundred Bones Truth-Returning Array rotated with a thunderous roar, instantly forcing Wu Zhichong and Duanmu Yuan to scramble backward to create distance.

Seizing this opening, Lu Yuanchun transformed into a streak of blood-light and sped past.

The array patterns outside the formation parted upon contact, allowing Lu Yuanchun to pass through, only to close immediately afterward. The movement was so swift that it left no opportunity for outsiders to intervene.

"Thank you for your assistance, Brother Lyu..."

Falling into the center of the array, the blood-light dissipated, revealing Lu Yuanchun's disheveled appearance. His pale face bore traces of shock and uncertainty

"Brother Lyu is actually an array master."

If he were not an array master, how could he have reorganized the formation to resolve a situation that was originally a certain death?

"You make me laugh, Senior Brother. I am merely at the Ninth Grade," Lyu Yang said with a faint smile. "After studying it for several days, I was only able to slightly manifest the power of this great array."

Lyu Yang spoke simply, but Lu Yuanchun’s expression was solemn.

Among the hundred arts of cultivation, the Way of Arrays stands first.

The value of a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator versus a late-stage Qi Refinement array master was incomparable; the latter could be viewed as being nearly at the Great Perfection of Qi Refinement!

"Speaking of which, Senior Brother Lu has gained quite a lot this time."

Lyu Yang looked at Lu Yuanchun with a half-smile. Under his gaze, the expression on Lu Yuanchun's face gradually stiffened, and cold sweat began to pour down.

However, in the next second, he regained his composure.

"Brother Lyu, I have kept the 'Mystic Womb Taiyin Jade' for you for a long time. Today is the day it should return to its rightful owner!"

With that, Lu Yuanchun directly produced a small box. He opened the lid to reveal a white jade stone with seven orifices, strikingly similar to a human form.

As the saying goes, the wise man knows how to adapt to the times.

Lu Yuanchun was an old disciple of the Saint Sect and naturally understood that if he did not hand over the jade now, he would be sacrificed on the front lines of the righteous-demonic battlefield in a moment.

Furthermore, with the Divine Martial Sect having deployed a Great Perfection Qi Refinement expert, escaping alive was impossible. Lu Yuanchun no longer harbored illusions; rather than keeping the treasure, it was better to hand it over publicly. On one hand, it served as a way to avert disaster through loss, and on the other, it could shift the attention of the Divine Martial Sect members toward Lyu Yang.

"The Mystic Womb Taiyin Jade..."

Seeing this, Lyu Yang nodded in satisfaction. He tucked the small box into his storage bag, turned around, and looked calmly at the figure that had abruptly appeared outside the market.

It was a handsome young man holding a spear.

He wore a martial crown and scale armor, and the long spear in his hand was engraved with dragon patterns. Rather than a cultivator, he looked more like a general from the mortal realm.

"A Ninth Grade array master?"

The youth's gaze was as sharp as a blade, seemingly capable of slicing through the array's concealment to see directly to Lyu Yang, the array master. "I didn't expect such an unexpected variable."

At the same time, 'Divine Fist' Wu Zhichong and 'Mountain-Moving Daoist' Duanmu Yuan approached, each offering a respectful bow to the spear-wielding youth: "Senior Brother Ouyang, we were inefficient in our duties and have disappointed you."

"No matter."

Ouyang Haoze shook his head, his expression gentle. "Demons are cunning; it is normal for you two junior brothers to have been negligent. You shall make up for it through future merit."

Having said that, he looked toward the Skeleton Mountain Market, his eyes brimming with killing intent.

"Our sect has planned for many years; we cannot tolerate even the slightest accident. If possible, we should first prune the demonic sect's nails left here to minimize variables to the greatest extent."

In the next second, Ouyang Haoze's figure flashed. The aura of Great Perfection Qi Refinement was completely released. Instantly, a pillar of essence-qi smoke soared upward, manifesting a heaven-shaking war cry. Faintly, thousands of armored soldiers and generals appeared in formation behind Ouyang Haoze, augmenting his essence, qi, and spirit.

"Break for me!"

In an instant, a thunderous roar rolled through the air, crashing directly into the Skeleton Mountain Market. A few low-level cultivators were instantly sent vomiting blood by the sheer force of the shout.

"Great Perfection of Qi Refinement..."

Lyu Yang, presiding over the array, grew solemn. The pinnacle of the Qi Refinement realm—at this level, what a major sect represented was not just cultivation, but status.

If one were also favored by a True Person, they would undoubtedly be a True Disciple of the sect!

The Divine Martial Sect was located in the Northern Border. Although its scale was far inferior to the Saint Sect, it possessed several world-shaking divine abilities that only True Disciples were permitted to practice.

"If he has mastered a divine ability, I will abandon the array and flee immediately..."

While preparing his escape, Lyu Yang moved to the edge of the array to confront Ouyang Haoze across the formation. "I am Lyu Yang. May I ask the name of this fellow Daoist?"

"With your status, you are not worthy of knowing my name." Ouyang Haoze sneered. "If you are sensible, surrender immediately. I might show some mercy by only stripping you of your demonic arts rather than taking your life. But if you choose to resist, then on the day the array breaks, not even a dog or a chicken shall be left alive!"

"When will the cycle of vengeance ever end?"

Lyu Yang's smile remained unchanged, his tone gentle. "Though our two sides differ in righteousness and evil, we have always respected each other's boundaries. Why not give me some face?"

"Give you face?"

Ouyang Haoze burst into laughter, mocking him, "Such arrogance! An eighth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator—even if I refuse to give you face today, what can you do about it?"

"Why bother..."

Lyu Yang shook his head. "In that case, please, fellow Daoist, come and break the array."

"You seek death!"

A flash of killing intent ignited in Ouyang Haoze's eyes. The smoke formed by the blood-qi around his body retracted completely. He threw a punch that, at first glance, appeared to be nothing more than the martial arts of a mortal.

However, seeing this, Lyu Yang's expression tightened. He dared not be careless; he immediately summoned the Blood Sun Sword Pill and, merging his body with the sword-light, slashed toward Ouyang Haoze. In an instant, fist and sword collided, and an incomparable sharp energy and fist force exploded in all directions, blooming like sparks in mid-air.

Ouyang Haoze moved like lightning, throwing hundreds of punches in the blink of an eye.

The Divine Martial Sect was different from other cultivation sects; they prioritized body cultivation, and most of their divine abilities were centered on fist and foot. In close-quarters combat, their speed could even surpass that of sword cultivators!

"Thousand Arrow Strike!"

Ouyang Haoze spread his arms as if drawing a massive bow. Subsequently, his fist shadows flew like arrows, drowning Lyu Yang's position in an instant.

*Rumble!*

Amidst the explosive sounds, Lyu Yang felt as if the spiritual qi in his body had been drained, replaced by endless fist shadows intent on grinding him into powder!

A thousand strikes in an instant, leaving no room for a counterattack—this was clearly a high-level divine ability!

Although Ouyang Haoze spoke arrogantly and looked down on Lyu Yang, he did not show the slightest negligence when actually fighting; he was going all out.

In an instant, billowing waves of explosive air surged.

Under the onslaught of his fist shadows, Lyu Yang lasted less than ten seconds before being pulverized. The sword-light shattered, and in a blink, he turned into a sky full of skeletal remains.

The momentum of the punches stopped abruptly. Ouyang Haoze stood in mid-air, his brow slightly furrowed.

On the other side, above the market, the Hundred Bones Truth-Returning Array continued to operate. A figure flickered from ethereal to solid, stepping out—it was none other than a perfectly intact Lyu Yang.

"Fellow Daoist's fist power is peerless. I am impressed."

Ouyang Haoze did not respond. He threw another punch, still using the Thousand Arrow Strike. Lyu Yang resisted tenaciously, yet after another ten or so seconds, he was once again beaten to pieces.

However, in the next blink, Ouyang Haoze saw Lyu Yang's corpse turn into skeletal remains, while an unharmed Lyu Yang stepped out from the array once more. His sleeves fluttered gracefully, his poise unchanged, and he had not even lost a shred of true qi or mana. He cupped his hands in greeting: "Would fellow Daoist like to fight again?"

"...The Hundred Bones Truth-Returning Array is indeed worthy of its reputation."

Ouyang Haoze's expression turned grave.

As far as he knew, this array was ranked at the Seventh Grade and contained a hundred skeletal soldiers. When a cultivator was inside the array, they could use the bodies of the skeletal soldiers to manifest one hundred percent of their original combat power.

In this way, it was essentially the skeletal soldiers fighting on behalf of the original body.

If they won, everyone was happy; if they died, it had no impact on the original body. Furthermore, as long as the array continued to operate, even if a skeletal soldier was consumed, it could quickly recover.

Consequently, no matter how fiercely he attacked, it was futile—a mere waste of effort. This was only because he was outside the array and had not rushed in; had he entered the formation, Lyu Yang could have summoned all the skeletal soldiers to swarm him. At that point, even a Great Perfection Qi Refinement expert would be left battered and bruised!