Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

Hearing she already had a countermeasure, Hex Tai was overjoyed. The trace of dissatisfaction that had just surfaced in his heart vanished completely. He said with satisfaction, ”Please rest assured, Master Xu. The materials will be prepared at once. Tomorrow’s assault will proceed as usual; we’ll make sure the Song Clan doesn’t notice a thing.”

At that moment, a decrepit old man suddenly stood up and said, ”Master Xu, since you plan to form an Array, could you give us a general timeframe? That way, we can formulate a plan. If it takes too long, I believe we should reconsider.”

”Otherwise, I’m afraid my clansmen won’t be able to hold out.”

Although both clans had mobilized their full forces, they numbered less than two thousand people in total.

This was only the first day, and their casualties had already exceeded one hundred. A few more days like this, and their two clans would likely fall apart before the Song Clan was even destroyed.

Hearing this, a faint glint flickered in Xu Mei’s eyes. She said coolly, ”Fellow Daoist Rong, rest assured. The Array will be completed within five days. You all just need to guarantee I won’t be disturbed.”

”Five days…” Rong Mingtao calculated silently for a moment. Finding the timeframe acceptable, he nodded and said, ”Then we shall entrust this to you, Master Xu.”

...

”The assaults have seemed a bit weaker these last few days. They’re already running out of steam? Guess they aren’t so tough after all.” On Vast Mist Peak, Song Changjun watched the unmoving Array barrier and curled his lip in disdain.

Song Chang’an, cradling his sword, heard this and issued a grave warning. ”Arrogance and underestimation are cardinal sins in battle. Never look down on any opponent. The world doesn’t offer second chances. An attitude like yours will cost you dearly!”

”You are right to lecture me, cousin. I have learned my lesson.” Song Changjun quickly cupped his hands in a show of respect, but inwardly, he was quite unconvinced.

’In his eyes, the clan’s defenses were impenetrable. The enemy outside stood no chance of breaking through and would soon retreat in disgrace. Song Chang’an and the others were making a mountain out of a molehill.’

Song Chang’an knew his cousin’s personality well, so of course he knew what he was really thinking. It wasn’t just Song Changjun; many others shared a similar mindset.

The fighting had gone so smoothly over the past few days that everyone had lost the sense of crisis and urgency they’d felt at the start. Instead, they were under the illusion that the Lieyang Sect and the Rong Clan might retreat at any moment.

To Song Chang’an, this was an extremely dangerous way of thinking.

He refused to believe that two long-established Purple Mansion Influences would have so few tricks up their sleeves.

Just as he was pondering this, a tremendous roar echoed in his ears, followed by a series of shocked gasps from his surrounding clansmen.

He focused his gaze and saw a massive pillar of light shooting up from the horizon. After reaching a certain altitude, it took a sharp turn, forming a gigantic azure sphere high above Vast Mist Peak.

From within the sphere, over a dozen white beams, each as thick as a water barrel, shot out. They slammed into the earthen-yellow light barrier of the Three Mountains Linked Array from various angles.

BOOM...

Amidst earth-shaking tremors, the earthen-yellow light barrier began to shudder violently under the bombardment. Its glow flickered erratically, seeming on the verge of extinguishing at any second.

Song Xianming, who had been sitting calmly inside the main hall, shot to his feet and blurted out, ”A Tier Three Array!”

Across from him, Yuann Tianshu and Song Luzhou were momentarily stunned.

”Great Uncle, neither the Rong Clan nor the Lieyang Sect are known for their expertise in Arrays. How could they possibly have a Tier Three Array Master?” Song Luzhou asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

”Just because someone is in the Lieyang Sect’s contingent doesn’t mean they’re a member of the Lieyang Sect. In the end, I still underestimated him.” Song Xianming’s expression darkened. The presence of a Tier Three Array Master would drastically reduce the effectiveness of their Clan Protection Array.

”No wonder their assaults have felt so weak these past few days. It was a feint.”

At that moment, the question in all three of their minds was answered simultaneously.

Song Xianming turned his head to Song Luzhou and ordered, ”Activate the full Clan Protection Array at once! Inform the clan members that the true, vicious battle is about to begin.”

Hearing this, Song Luzhou’s heart went cold. He quickly cupped his hands and replied, ”Yes, sir!”

The words had barely left his lips when, with a sharp CRACK like shattering glass, the earthen-yellow barrier exploded into fragments. The three pillars of light emanating from Spirit Plant Mountain, Spirit Embroidery Mountain, and Jade Bamboo Mountain extinguished simultaneously.

Seeing this, the forces of the Lieyang Sect and Rong Clan were ecstatic. They burst into thunderous cheers, and their previously flagging morale soared to unprecedented heights.

Hex Tai, ever one to push his luck, added, ”Master Xu, your skills are truly extraordinary! I wonder, could you also take down the Thousand Illusionary Maze Array for us?”

Hearing such an amateurish question, Xu Mei almost laughed in exasperation. She shot him an irritated glare and retorted, ”Do you think breaking an Array can be done in a single stroke? The only reason we could shatter the Three Mountains Linked Ring Array is because I exploited the principle of the Five Elements countering one another to create a suppressive effect.”

”Breaking the Thousand Illusionary Maze Array will require more careful planning.”

”Furthermore, the Three Mountains Linked Ring Array has only had its connections severed; it has not yet been fully breached. Each of those three Spirit Mountains still houses an Array Hub.”

”You should immediately dispatch enough manpower, split into three forces, to seize those three Spirit Mountains simultaneously. Only by destroying the Array Hubs will this Grand Array be considered truly broken. Otherwise, it risks re-establishing its connections.”

”I see! I’ll dispatch men to seize those three mountains at once!”

Not daring to delay, Hex Tai immediately dispatched fifteen Foundation Establishment Cultivators and nine hundred Qi Cultivators, dividing them into three forces to attack the Spirit Mountains on the outskirts of Vast Mist Peak.

The Array was broken, but the ground it protected still had to be held.

Facing the aggressive enemy, Liu Hongye and the others led their disciples into a desperate battle. Instantly, the air filled with battle cries, agonized screams, and the thunder of Magic. The fighting descended into a fierce stalemate from the very start.

Meanwhile, Hex Tai did not remain idle. He, along with Rong Mingtao, Zhang Yu, and the black-robed figure brought by Blood Eye, led the remaining Cultivators in a charge up Vast Mist Peak, leaving only Master Xu behind to devise a way to break the next Array.

By now, the Thousand Illusionary Maze Array was operating at full power. A dense white fog billowed up from the ground, quickly shrouding the entire mountain.

As soon as the disciples of the Lieyang Sect and the Rong Clan entered, they lost all sense of direction and felt both their Cultivation and Divine Sense being suppressed.

This bizarre situation made many of them nervous, but orders were absolute. They could only grit their teeth and continue charging forward, relying on pure instinct.

Gradually, however, they discovered to their horror that they could no longer sense the presence of their fellow sect members. A tide of fear began to spread.

But if the white fog brought terror to the invaders, for the Cultivators of the Song Clan, it set the stage for a massacre.

Song Chang’an, Song Lutong, Song Luyun, and the others sprang into action. The Cultivators under their command broke into smaller units, melting into the white fog to launch a counter-encirclement from four directions.

A Lieyang Sect disciple was cautiously advancing when a crimson flying sword suddenly shot out, piercing through his chest. In an instant, the sharp Sword Qi shredded his heart.

Dressed in tight-fitting red robes, Song Qingxia emerged from the dense fog like a phantom. She reached out, pulling the crimson Long Sword free, and whispered, ”One.”

Then, she melted back into the fog to hunt for her next prey.

Similar scenes were playing out all across Vast Mist Peak, though the methods of killing varied.

Song Qinghong chose to lay an Array in advance, then deliberately reveal his position to lure enemies into his trap.

Song Qingshi, on the other hand, opted for a more direct and brutal approach: a head-on assault, using his bare fists to pulverize every opponent he encountered.

Slaughter unfolded within the dense fog. To defend their home, the scions of the Song Clan engaged the invading enemy in a bloody struggle.

Here, death was a possibility for everyone. No one knew if the next body to hit the ground would be their own. But they had no choice. They could only grip their Treasure Swords and charge on, bathed in blood!

The battle among the Qi Cultivators was intense, and the one between the Foundation Establishment Cultivators was even more so.

Although the Lieyang Sect’s side had a slight advantage in numbers, the Song Clan had the support of the Grand Array, which gave them a subtle upper hand…

...