Master Qian appeared relaxed, smiling lightly, “It’s always the same stuff back and forth. Clearly, he doesn’t know many arrays. This array master’s level isn’t that impressive.”
Qian Hong breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
Master Qian asked, “How powerful was it?”
“This time, it seems there wasn’t any First Grade, and the array’s power was only around seven array patterns.”
Master Qian nodded, “In such a short time, that array master couldn’t draw many First Grade arrays. They could only use seven array patterns to make up the numbers.”
“With just seven array patterns, the power isn’t great. A Foundation Building cultivator with Earth spiritual roots, wearing Iron Armor, can withstand it without injury.”
Master Qian shook his head, “Too reckless, unnecessary. It’s impossible to break in head-on every time. It’s both alarming the enemy and wasting the Iron Armor.”
Qian Hong asked, “Does the master have a solution?”
“The solution is simple.” Master Qian smiled, “I’ll bring along some ordinary array masters from the family to accompany you. They can identify where these Earth Fire Arrays are located.”
“Exactly!” Master Qian’s expression was confident, “Everything in the world moves in cycles, leaving traces in every action. Some things you can’t discern if your spiritual sense isn’t strong enough or your research isn’t deep.”
“Arrays are the same. The array patterns have a faint flow of spiritual power. Ordinary cultivators can’t distinguish it, but for us who have dealt with array patterns for years, drawing them hundreds or thousands of times, we can naturally tell them apart.”
Qian Hong’s eyes lit up, “Then I’ll trouble Master Qian!”
But he thought for a moment, still a bit worried, and said, “If the family’s array masters go over, it would be a great loss if they encountered danger…”
After all, array masters spend years studying arrays, and their cultivation and strength are generally weaker. If the Qian family lost them, it would be a significant loss.
“No worries,” Master Qian said, “Array masters won’t take risks themselves. They just need to observe from a distance and find the Earth Fire Arrays’ positions.”
Qian Hong said, “I’ll send more people to protect them.”
Master Qian nodded, “That would be best.”
Late at night, under a dim crescent moon, the sky was pitch black.
Several array masters of the Qian family, led by Qian Shunzhi, arrived outside the artifact crafting shop in the south of the city. They hid in the distant bushes, extending their spiritual sense far to carefully distinguish the anomalies in the surrounding spiritual power, sensing the fire-based array patterns, and locating the Earth Fire Arrays.
The Qian family array masters compared the city’s map and marked the positions of these Earth Fire Arrays, then handed the map to Qian Shunzhi.
Qian Shunzhi’s injuries were not healed, but this task was personally assigned by the family head. It was of great importance. If done well, it would be a significant merit and would be noticed by the family head.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Qian Shunzhi carefully stored the map, summoned the Qian family disciples and a group of rogue cultivators, and pointed out the positions of the Earth Fire Arrays to them one by one.
“Did you remember clearly?”
The cultivators nodded.
Qian Shunzhi divided the cultivators into teams, each with a designated route, and then waved his hand, “Move out!”
Thus, a group of cultivators, under the cover of night, crept towards the artifact crafting shop.
Qian Shunzhi whispered, “Act according to the plan.”
The cultivators split into several groups, avoiding the Earth Fire Arrays on the ground, stealthily approaching the artifact crafting shop.
The Qian family cultivators avoided most of the Earth Fire Arrays, only a few were triggered, sporadically bursting into flames in the night.
Some were triggered by the Qian family cultivators’ carelessness, while others were missed by the array masters.
All of this was within Qian Shunzhi’s calculations.
No matter how careful, it’s impossible to be flawless.
So he divided the cultivators into several teams to attack simultaneously. This way, even if some Earth Fire Arrays were triggered, attracting the attention of the demon hunters, they could advance on multiple fronts, causing the demon hunters to be overwhelmed.
In the dim night, visibility was low, and it was normal to miss things amidst the chaos.
The demon hunters wouldn’t know where their attackers were coming from.
As long as they caused enough damage to the buildings and arrays, they would achieve a great merit.
Qian Shunzhi watched from a distance.
His leg was injured by an Earth Fire Array explosion, making him slow, so he didn’t personally lead the team this time. He also feared being caught again by Elder Yu.
Elder Yu, despite being a Foundation Building cultivator, had a thick skin and wild methods. Qian Shunzhi couldn’t guess what torment he would face if he fell into Elder Yu’s hands again.
In previous attempts, without an excuse, he had to go personally. But now that he was injured, he could conveniently watch from the back.
Things were progressing as he planned.
The Earth Fire Arrays exploded, but only sporadically, posing little threat and instead attracting the demon hunters’ attention, allowing them to strike in the east while hitting in the west.
Several Qian family cultivators had already infiltrated, with spiritual power fluctuations indicating either battles or dismantling of buildings.
In the pitch-black night, colorful spiritual lights lit up all over the artifact crafting shop.
But the chaos only lasted a while before things settled down. The noise decreased, and the spiritual power fluctuations gradually calmed.
The infiltrated Qian family cultivators did not come out again.
The whole artifact crafting shop seemed like a beast resting in the night, opening its mouth and swallowing them all.
Qian Shunzhi’s thoughts were in disarray.
What happened?
In the dim night and chaotic situation, their distraction tactics should have been effective.
Why had it gone silent so quickly?
At this moment, Qian Shunzhi noticed a group of people emerging, rushing straight towards them.
In the dark, he couldn’t see clearly but had a vague sense that they weren’t their own people!
Qian Shunzhi immediately said, “Quick, retreat!”
Upon his command, some Qian family cultivators hurriedly gathered the array masters and started retreating.
But it was too late; a group of demon hunters quickly caught up with them.
The leading demon hunter, with sharp brows and starry eyes, a robust build, and agile movements, was none other than Mo Shan.
Mo Shan’s figure flickered, appearing in front of Qian Shunzhi, and punched with fire spreading all around, aiming straight for Qian Shunzhi’s face.
Qian Shunzhi crossed his arms to block the punch, but his forearms burned with pain instantly, with a crunching sound suggesting bones breaking.
Mo Shan followed with a kick. Qian Shunzhi, unable to resist, was sent flying to the ground, his whole body aching, clearly unable to run anymore.
Mo Shan left Qian Shunzhi behind and went straight for the Qian family’s array masters.
The Qian family’s guards tried to stop him. They were all at the ninth level of Qi Refining, with deep cultivation, temporarily holding Mo Shan back.
Mo Shan didn’t engage them for long, using swift and decisive moves to maneuver, seizing the opportunity to bypass the guards and reach an array master.
The array master, unaware of what was happening, only felt a figure appear before him, followed by a sharp pain in his neck and darkness as Mo Shan’s hand struck him unconscious.
Mo Shan, knocking out the array master, grabbed his collar and tossed him to several demon hunters nearby.
Those demon hunters caught the array master, pulled out ropes, and tied him up securely like a pig.