Qian Hong felt assured as the demon hunters had already sealed the cave entrance.
Rubble was piled into a wall. Mo Hua drew array patterns on the wall, then added another layer of rubble and drew again, repeating the process a third time.
Three walls in total, with three sets of arrays.
Mo Hua requested several hundred spirit stones from Elder Yu, crushed them, and infused the array with spiritual power, activating the Earth-Wood Composite Array.
Gray and pale green patterns intertwined on the array, with spiritual power seeping into the rubble, fusing earth and stone into a solid barrier.
"Will this array hold?" Elder Yu still had some doubts.
Mo Hua felt confident.
The Earth-Fire Array used paper as its medium and was single-use. However, the current Earth-Wood Composite Array used earth and stone, making it durable and time-consuming to break.
Besides, it was a first-tier compound array, enough to handle Qi cultivators—as long as Qian Hong and Qian Zhongxuan, who were at the Foundation Building stage, didn't intervene.
So Mo Hua replied ambiguously, "It should work."
Given the situation, Elder Yu didn't hesitate and ordered all cultivators to focus on digging escape tunnels, leaving the remaining spirit stones unmined.
They had to create an escape route before the Qian family broke through the mine.
The Qian family noticed the demon hunters' movements.
Qian Hong sneered, "As expected, Yu Changlin sealed the entrance and is digging escape tunnels."
He then ordered the Qian family cultivators to scout. After investigating, they reported that the entrance was sealed with walls of earth and stone.
Qian Hong wasn't concerned, believing that walls of gray earth and rubble wouldn't last more than two days.
But after half a day of effort, the Qian family cultivators returned, reporting:
"Master, we can't break through."
Qian Hong frowned, "What do you mean, can't break through?"
The disciple lowered his head, "The entrance is sealed with earth and stone, and we can't break through..."
Qian Hong's frown deepened.
Qian Zhongxuan, hearing this, was slightly surprised but smiled smugly.
Qian Hong said, "Let me take a look."
He approached the sealed entrance and sensed the array's fluctuations on the earth and stone.
There's an array drawn here?
Qian Hong felt uneasy and instructed, "Try hitting it."
Several Qian family cultivators stepped forward, using knives, swords, bare hands, and spells.
Though they could chip away some rubble, it quickly reformed as if the stones were alive, fusing back together like earth and wood, self-repairing.
The Qian family cultivators continued their assault, but their efforts were futile, leaving them exhausted.
Qian Hong couldn't stand it any longer and drew his sword, slashing at the wall.
With his Foundation Building stage cultivation, his spiritual power was solid, and the sword energy cleaved through the rubble.
Qian Hong was shocked, "A first-tier array?"
Qian Zhongxuan didn't lie? There's really someone among the demon hunters who can draw a first-tier array!
Qian Zhongxuan's pleased expression didn't escape Qian Hong's notice, adding to his frustration.
"A seven-pattern array isn't much. The master will break it soon and capture these demon hunters!" Qian Zhongxuan's tone was slightly sarcastic.
Qian Hong's face remained impassive, but he was inwardly angry, unable to retort.
The demon hunters' array master was just an ordinary array master who could draw seven-pattern arrays.
If he denied this, it would be like slapping his own face.
Qian Zhongxuan's mockery had to be endured, with plans to settle the score later.
The immediate problem was breaking through the entrance, attacking the mine, killing the demon hunters, seizing the spirit stones, and occupying the spirit mine.
Just as Qian Hong was about to take action, Elder Yu's voice echoed from above:
"We agreed that Foundation Building cultivators wouldn't intervene. Don't push it."
Qian Hong looked up and saw Elder Yu, with a mocking smile, watching from the only unsealed entrance halfway up the mountain.
Qian Hong sneered, "We agreed not to attack cultivators, but not the rocks."
Elder Yu smirked, "Go ahead, I'll watch."
Qian Hong hesitated, reluctant to act. If he exhausted too much spiritual power breaking the entrance, he might be vulnerable to Elder Yu's attack.
If reported to the Dao Court, Yu Changlin could argue that Qian family's Foundation Building cultivator attacked first.
It could indeed be seen as Qian family attacking first if their cultivator broke the demon hunters' array.
Moreover, Qian Zhongxuan might take advantage of the situation if he acted.
After some hesitation, Qian Hong stepped back.
"Fine, I'll stick to the agreement. Only Qi cultivators will attack."
Elder Yu sighed in relief but looked down on Qian Hong even more.
"Then stop wasting time and let your Qi cultivators try breaking the mine entrance."
Qian Hong glared venomously at Elder Yu before signaling his cultivators.
They took turns attacking the earth and stone with knives, swords, martial arts, and spells.
One cultivator would tire, and another would take over.
As for the entrance where Elder Yu stood guard, it was impregnable.
Only by opening multiple entrances and attacking simultaneously could they hope to overwhelm the demon hunters.
The first-tier Earth-Wood Composite Array's defense was strong but relied on spirit stones and spiritual power.
Each attack depleted its energy.
The Qian family cultivators attacked continuously for days, day and night, finally breaking through the first layer.
With a rumble, the first wall of earth and stone lost its array's support and collapsed into rubble.
The Qian family cultivators cheered.
But their joy was short-lived. Behind the first wall was another wall.
They tried slashing it, but the earth and stone didn't budge, indicating another array.
Despair spread among the Qian family cultivators, and Qian Hong's eye twitched.
He hadn't expected Yu Changlin to be so ruthless, creating two walls with two arrays.
No, there might be more than two...
Qian Hong gritted his teeth, pausing the attack to let the cultivators rest before resuming.
There was no turning back now.
While the Qian family was attacking the mine, Elder Yu listened inside. Suddenly, the noise stopped, and he wondered:
"Why did they stop?"
"They can't break through."
After these days, Mo Hua confirmed the effectiveness of the first-tier Earth-Wood Array, which was difficult for Qi cultivators to breach.
Especially with three layers.
Elder Yu still didn't understand, "Why can't they break through?"
"It's a first-tier compound array. It'll exhaust them to death!"
"Compound array?" Elder Yu was puzzled.
"It's slightly more powerful than a first-tier array," Mo Hua explained.
Elder Yu's eyes widened. More powerful than a first-tier array?
"So this array can hold for a long time?"
Mo Hua estimated and nodded. If Foundation Building cultivators didn't intervene, it could hold for a very long time.
Assuming they had enough food and water.
Elder Yu was stunned, then deeply regretted it.
Had he known Mo Hua's array was so effective, he wouldn't have rushed to dig escape tunnels.
There were still many unmined spirit stones in the cave...
Those were all spirit stones!
Frugal by nature, Elder Yu felt pained.
Seeing through Elder Yu's thoughts, Mo Hua's eyes lit up:
"Why not be more ruthless? Don't let them have anything!"
This idea resonated with Elder Yu, and after some thought, he nodded, "Indeed, waste brings retribution!"