This crisis is destined not to be solved by Foundation Establishment.
While he was consolidating his realm, many newcomers gathered outside the ancestral residence, making it lively.
From their attire, it was easy to discern that most of them were Martial Artists. Led by a man with a grim face, they gathered, numbering around a hundred, quickly surrounding the vicinity of the ancestral residence.
"They arrived so quickly!"
Shen Wang glanced at the sky. It had taken him most of the day to make his breakthrough, and there was still some time before it got dark, yet so many people had come.
It seemed that the Black Water Stronghold was entirely at the beck and call of the Profound Thunder Zhenren.
He quickly scanned the surroundings.
Even though he had killed three leaders, those who came this time were still formidable.
There was one Grandmaster, one Ninth Grade Grandmaster, three Seventh Grade, five Sixth Grade, and the rest were all Innate Grandmasters.
The Ninth Grade Grandmaster could be considered a full-fledged Grandmaster. With so many Grandmasters, if they coordinated to set up an attack array, they would surely leverage their numerical advantage.
With so many people, using arrays to gather the power of many might not have difficulty exhibiting the strength comparable to a Golden Core Cultivator.
"I need to respond seriously."
Shen Wang dispersed his thoughts into the array, adapting to the situation.
Outside, the Village Chief of the Black Water Stronghold instructed his subordinates to wait and turned around to greet the Profound Thunder Zhenren, while the others curiously observed the ancestral residence.
"Is this the place where the three leaders were slain? Seems like real skill."
"Who exactly is that, to whom even the Village Chief is so respectful?"
"That is a Golden Core Zhenren. Do you think it inappropriate to show respect?"
Those in the know spoke boastfully.
"Could the rumors be true, that the Village Chief was nurtured by the Yun Family? Then why did he previously rob the Yun Family’s goods?"
"Isn’t it obvious? It’s just that..."
"Hush, don’t talk about it here."
The group got more and more excited. These were the things they usually speculated about and didn’t expect them to be confirmed now!
The grim-faced Village Chief of the Black Water Stronghold looked ordinary, of medium stature, around forty years old, with some acne marks on his face, thick hair and eyebrows, and slightly protruding cheekbones, looking unremarkable and was not prone to smiles.
Yet at this moment, he squeezed out a smile, politely saluting the Profound Thunder Zhenren: "Greetings, Senior."
He was well aware of his position and that he was merely a dog raised by the Yun Family, a wild dog at that. If he didn’t wag his tail, he would be beaten.
"Gong Yu, you didn’t handle the previous matters well. Do you know why I’ve now summoned you here?"
The Profound Thunder Zhenren, with hands behind his back and a calm face, looked at the Village Chief without anger but still commanded respect.
"We will follow Senior’s arrangements completely, and try to make up for the previous errors as much as possible."
Gong Yu stooped even lower, his attitude proper.
The Profound Thunder Zhenren appeared satisfied, not troubling him further, saying, "Those whom I gathered are organizing the Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends Array under Yun Conghui’s arrangement to collectively assist us in breaking the array."
Gong Yu responded respectfully, then turned coldly towards the crowd, saying: "Did you hear, follow Senior’s arrangements from now on."
"Yes, Village Chief."
The crowd nodded, feeling somewhat strange inside.
Normally raiding and looting, it was considered crooked dealings, who’d have thought they would cooperate with those great families.
These great families were impressive on the surface, but beneath that, there were still many sordid dealings.
The Profound Thunder Zhenren nodded slightly at Yun Conghui, who then stepped forward: "Everyone, come take a look at the Array Map of this formation; I will arrange positions according to your strength and attributes."
Since there were many to communicate with, Yun Conghui and others did not transmit through sound, so Shen Wang could hear clearly.
"The Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends Array is a very common comprehensive array, based on manpower arrangement, with thirty-six Celestial Spirits and seventy-two Earthly Fiends, needing a hundred and eight people. Its power can definitely reach Golden Core level, and it could even threaten late-stage Golden Core existences."
With the Profound Thunder Zhenren present, whether for additional attacks or presiding over the array, the attack strength would surely rise another level, even reaching the limits of the arrays he laid.
Shen Wang felt a tightening in his heart; the array would face a severe test shortly.
"Not enough, the prior arrangements were not enough!"
Shen Wang hadn’t considered that the Profound Thunder Zhenren could call over all the elites of the Black Water Stronghold.
Shen Wang’s expression shifted as he stood, observing the array around the ancestral residence, pondering how to enhance the array’s defensive capabilities.
"Fire generates earth, and the fire attribute can strengthen the earth attribute to some extent. I’ll further reinforce the Shield Earth Array."
Shen Wang retrieved his Flying Sword and inserted it into the Shield Earth Array.
A circle of firelight spread, and once injected into the array, the earth-yellow array gained some vitality and enhanced potency, subsequently amplifying the other two arrays to some extent.
However, this amplification was not substantial, as the Red Flame Sword was a low-level Magical Artifact compared to the middle-grade array, and the effect used mutual generation; the comprehensive amplification was only half a level.
"Wood generates fire, water generates wood, getting something with a wood attribute can complete the cycle of mutual generation of the five elements."
Shen Wang’s gaze flickered, searching for a wood attribute treasure, taking out the Vine Magical Artifact.
This was refined from vines and contained the power of the wood attribute.
After placing one end next to the Red Flame Sword, the other was combined with the Water Attribute Array.
The vine emitted a dark green radiance, while the flying sword emitted fiery light. A strand of strength entwined tightly, quickly circling, and subsequently injected into the Shield Mountain Array.
If originally the three arrays interlinked through mutual generation, allowing power to flow in one direction, forming a complete cycle now.
A ring of five-color brilliance appeared near the flying sword and vine, forming a five-element circle; this amplification immediately exceeded half a level, reaching five levels at once.
This was despite the limited power contained in the flying sword and vine, which was a magnitude less compared to the three arrays; otherwise, the amplification effect would be more evident.
He personally added some fire and wood attribute Spirit Stones, further stimulating the power of the five elements, ensuring the three major arrays maintained their power for long periods.
"Master-level Array +20!"
After Shen Wang completed the setup, another unprecedented experience reward arrived, and upon absorption, Shen Wang felt an easier mastery over the array in front of him.
"Heh, let’s see if your Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends Array can withstand the mutual generation of the five elements."
Shen Wang snorted, his confidence bolstered in dealing with the Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends formation.