Apology and Repairing the Array Foundation

Xiao Chen's words were clear in their cause and effect, and supported by ample witness testimony and physical evidence.

Most importantly, even if someone has doubts, they simply cannot disprove them.

To come up with such a perfect excuse in such a short time.

Xiao Chen felt incredibly clever!

Not only that.

He even took out the tentacle and displayed it in front of everyone.

Although the remaining Demonic Essence within it had long been exhausted, this thing could still emit a faint purple light.

Any cultivator who sees it for the first time will instinctively feel a sense of allure and mystery upon first glance.

Then, subconsciously, I made the judgment—it's definitely not a good thing.

Those around him were still somewhat skeptical after hearing Xiao Chen's explanation.

But after seeing the tentacle with my own eyes, it suddenly seemed much more reasonable.

Keep in mind, these are tentacles from Fifth-Tier Great Demon.

Anything related to that level can be explained by any illogical situation.

No one can question whether Fifth-Tier Great Demon has the ability to cause such severe pollution of Sha Qi.

If anyone doesn't believe it, then go and verify it with that Fifth-Tier Great Demon.

First, you have to find it; second, you have to come back alive.

Even for Spirit Transformation Venerable, this is an extremely difficult task.

"It's quite a coincidence that I had just discussed this with you fellow Daoists."

Xiao Chen feigned regret and said, "It's a pity that in the end no one could identify what kind of Demon Beast this tentacle came from."

"As it happens, I had already heard that Universal Salvation Temple has a long history and its Zen Master are all very knowledgeable."

"But is it possible to know the specific origin of this object?"

As he spoke, he extended the tentacle directly to the other party.

Purified Nature Zen Master, having already been helped to his feet, did not refuse upon hearing this and directly reached out to take it, saying, "I wouldn't call myself knowledgeable; I've just read a few rare Ancient Books."

"Please allow this old monk to carefully discern the truth before answering the layperson."

Universal Salvation Temple has a large and long-standing collection of books, and it certainly possesses many secrets of the Cultivation World.

However, even the most powerful cultivators cannot grasp all the situations in the Cultivation World.

This time they encountered something completely unfamiliar.

The other Zen Master also came over and took turns examining the tentacle, but none of them could discern its origin.

They couldn't even determine the general type of the Demon Beast.

One can only wonder, amidst astonishment, which direction of Bloodline Mutation this is, that it is so bizarre.

Then, once again, the same sentiment that has been uttered throughout history is expressed. "Indeed, the Endless Sea contains countless Sea Fish and limitless possibilities."

Only heaven knows what Bloodline Mutation has occurred inside.

"We are truly ashamed to say that we are also unable to identify its origin."

Purified Nature Zen Master returned the severed tentacle to Xiao Chen, assuring him, "Please rest assured, Layman Xiao, we will absolutely keep our mouths shut."

"I will never reveal a single word about these tentacles to anyone who is not involved."

Even for Nascent Soul True Lord, Fifth-Tier Spirit Item is an extremely precious spiritual material, and the fewer people who know about it, the better.

Therefore, this can reasonably explain why Xiao Chen did not directly confront the situation at the beginning, but instead tried to evade it with reasons such as Devil Artifact.

Not only the Zen Master of Universal Salvation Temple felt this way.

Even Zhang Shouquan, who was standing next to him, believed this and empathized with Xiao Chen's thoughts.

"Although the origin is unknown, it at least suggests that the Asura's Omen may be related to the Sea Race."

Purified Dust Zen Master was somewhat puzzled. "Could it be that the catastrophe foretells in humankind still originates from the Sea Race?"

"This doesn't make sense; the Sea Race are clearly showing signs of weakness."

"But if it's not Sea Race, then what could it be?"

This was indeed strange, and the people at Universal Salvation Temple couldn't quite figure it out.

Could the Sea Race outside bring new variables?

That doesn't make sense; they don't qualify as a human catastrophe.

"Regardless of the circumstances, we must promptly strengthen Inspector of the Far Sea."

Purified Nature Zen Master immediately instructed, "Once we repel the Sea Race Invasion, we should immediately send out more scouts to ensure that we can detect the catastrophe in time."

"Furthermore, I have decided to use the secret decree later to report this news to the Bright King."

"I'll need to trouble Junior Brother Jing Chen and Junior Brother Fa Zhao to inform the rest of the brothers when it's time to switch shifts."

The reason for not reporting it immediately was that Three Mountains Grotto-Heaven was almost completely isolated from the outside world.

Conventional methods such as Sound Transmission Flying Sword and communication arrays are completely ineffective.

Most of the time, important intelligence and messages could only be passed between cultivators when they traveled through the World Breaking Stone.

Very few temples possess additional means of communication like Universal Salvation Temple.

However, the conditions for implementation are very demanding, and the costs are also very high.

Even though Purified Nature Zen Master is the Abbot, he cannot be easily mobilized.

According to the rules, all the Zen Master in the temple must be notified in advance, and the support of most of them must be obtained.

"Alas, I am truly ashamed."

Purified Nature Zen Master looked at Xiao Chen again. "I just promised to keep this a secret for Layman Xiao, but the matter is of great importance and I dare not keep it from Bright King."

"We can only beg the layperson to understand us."

"As compensation, this old monk is willing to apologize to Layman Xiao."

As he spoke, he bowed three times in succession.

"This first bow is to ask Layman Xiao to forgive my impolite words and actions."

"This second bow is to ask Layman Xiao to forgive my inappropriate behavior."

"This third bow is to ask Layman Xiao for his understanding of my shortcomings in hospitality."

Then Purified Nature Zen Master took out an exquisite wooden box and handed it over. "This box contains three Purple-Gold Bodhi Fruit, which are the most famous specialty of our temple."

"I now wish to present this to Layman Xiao, and hope for his understanding."

To be honest, the monk's attitude was quite bad at first, which made Xiao Chen feel very uncomfortable.

However, judging from his subsequent words and actions, he was indeed not the kind of person who would be aggressive.

It was more like he was suddenly struck by such a strong Sha Qi, and influenced by the strange phenomena around him, and in his haste, he made a mistake.

Furthermore, he didn't care about saving face at this moment and readily apologized.

Xiao Chen's discomfort dissipated.

Considering that he already had more than ninety Purple-Gold Bodhi Fruit, he didn't need these three.

He waved his hand politely and declined, saying, "Oh, no need, no need, let's just talk this out."

"As for the things, just put them away. I'm not the kind of person who holds grudges."

Most of the time, Xiao Chen is quite reasonable, especially when dealing with kind people.

Of course, if someone insists on courting death in front of him, or commits wrongdoings and tries to bully others, then that's a different story.

"It's wonderful that you understand, Layman Xiao, but please accept this small token of my appreciation."

Purified Nature Zen Master stepped forward and placed the box directly into Xiao Chen's hands, saying, "Since this old monk has acted inappropriately, he should make amends immediately."

"Layman Xiao has been misunderstood without cause and should receive compensation."

"This is the true principle of harmonious coexistence."

Um?

That sounds a bit odd.

Xiao Chen took a half step back, not taking the box. "Abbot, please don't overthink it, there's really no need for that."

The Purple-Gold Bodhi Fruit is indeed extremely precious to others, but it is almost useless to him.

"Brother Jingxing, I think it would be better to offer something else as an apology."

Zen Master Fa Zhao Fazhao promptly spoke up, reminding him, "Layman Xiao is a genius youth that our Human Race encounters only once in ten thousand years."

"Moreover, they follow the Path of Enlightenment, possessing exceptional comprehension to begin with, thus requiring no external aids whatsoever."

"Even if we accept the Purple-Gold Bodhi Fruit, it's useless. We might as well exchange it for something more practical."

Purified Nature Zen Master suddenly realized the truth.

That's right. Those geniuses who pursue enlightenment are so powerful that they don't even care about spiritual objects that enhance their comprehension.

He raised his hand and slapped his forehead, letting out a helpless sigh, "Alas, I made a complete fool of myself today."

He then pondered for a moment.

He then put away the wooden box, took out a scroll and handed it over. "In that case, please accept this painting, ' Buddha Meditating Painting, ' Layman Xiao."

"It should be of some help to lay practitioners."

This thing is really useful.

Buddhist Sect possesses a wide variety of Buddhist treasures, and the "Buddha Meditating Painting is one of the most famous among them.

When used by cultivators in seclusion, it can rapidly advance the Cultivation Progress of a particular Law Technique.

It is rumored that one can achieve results in a month that are no less than those of ten years of arduous cultivation.

This not only enhances combat power Survival Ability, but also greatly saves cultivators the time spent on Law Technique.

If Xiao Chen wanted to delve deeper into a particular Law Technique, he could indeed use this thing.

For example, if you use it to advance the <Four Symbols Suppressing Mountain Shield> to a minor level, you can resist more intense attacks from the enemy in battle.

This is good stuff, why don't you take it?

If Xiao Chen were to accept it now, wouldn't that imply that he had just been criticizing the Purple-Gold Bodhi Fruit?

That's not appropriate, let's just forget about it. "Abbot, you've misunderstood, I didn't mean that."

"The main thing is that I've never been one to care about those little misunderstandings."

If it were someone else, they might have given up.

However, Purified Nature Zen Master Jingxing persisted in his persuasion. "Layman Xiao may not care, but this old monk cannot be indifferent."

Please accept this apology.

Oh dear, how did it turn out like this again?

Upon Zen Master Fa Zhao sensed that something was amiss.

Xiao Chen insisted on not accepting the apology. Could it be that he had said he didn't care anymore, but was still angry and dissatisfied with their rudeness?

Even Gang Yuan True Monarch is a little nervous; you mustn't start arguing about this again.

The atmosphere was tense, and everyone sensed something was wrong, so they all tried to persuade each other.

Xiao Chen didn't refuse any longer and reached out to take the painting, "Buddha Meditating Painting."

With that, everyone was finally relieved.

Now that you've accepted everything, it's probably a true turning point.

"Thank you for Layman Xiao forgiveness, Layman Xiao!"

Purified Nature Zen Master Jingxing clasped his hands together and said, "Although dispelling Sha Qi is very difficult, I will do everything I can to help."

"Later, in a secret decree, we will also request assistance from the Bright King."

Zen Master Fa Zhao nodded in agreement. "If we could obtain a fifth-level Buddhist scripture, even if it couldn't directly eliminate all the Sha Qi, it should at least be able to suppress Sha Qi."

"Minimize the impact of the Sha Qi."

At this point, Purified Dust Zen Master had a sudden inspiration and recommended, "Furthermore, whenever Layman Xiao has free time, he can come to the Seven Treasures Pagoda to recite scriptures and chant Buddha's name."

"Although it's slow to take effect, it can still play a role to some extent."

ah?

What's going on here?

Xiao Chen was stunned.

How can I suppress and eliminate the Sha Qi Sha Qi the same time?

Do you know how difficult it is for me to collect Sha Qi?

Therefore, Xiao Chen refused without hesitation, saying, "I know everyone means well, but as it stands, the Sha Qi doesn't seem to affect me at all."

"Why don't we first address the most pressing issue: dealing with the Sea Race?"

"We can discuss other things later."

Purified Nature Zen Master also agreed with this point, and therefore did not say anything more.

Instead, Zen Master Fa Zhao was somewhat worried. "Layman Xiao, you must not be careless!"

"Although some people have harbored Sha Qi for decades without incident, they only possess a trace or half of Sha Qi."

"Given your current condition, even Buddhist scriptures are practically useless."

"If we don't take this seriously and deal with it as quickly as possible, it could very well lead to a major disaster!"

Zen Master Fa Zhao spoke faster and faster, his tone revealing an almost undisguised urgency.

Xiao Chen had saved him in the New Ruin before, so he was genuinely concerned and anxious at this moment.

Upon hearing Zhang Shouquan felt somewhat relieved.

Judging from the previous situation, he should only have a Sha Qi, and the problem is not serious; there is plenty of time to deal with it.

As for Gang Yuan True Monarch, he was secretly laughing to himself.

What are you all worrying about? This Sha Qi will definitely have no effect on Xiao Chen.

He was the only one who didn't believe in Fifth-Tier Great Demon.

Of course, he would keep this matter to himself and not tell anyone, not even the Han Chuan True Monarch.

"Listen to me, everyone. I have my own plans for this matter, so there's no need for you to worry about it."

Xiao Chen stated bluntly, "Once I've dealt with the Sea Race, I'll seek help from my elders to deal with the Sha Qi."

"This way, I won't owe anyone favors, and I feel more at ease."

"There are some things that are really inconvenient to say at the moment, but in any case, you don't need to worry that I will have any problems."

"Especially since there's no need to trouble the Bright King."

You know what, everyone used to firmly believe that Xiao Chen came from Hidden Dao Heritage.

Upon hearing this, he immediately expressed his understanding.

Only Zen Master Fa Zhao quietly instructed that he could return if needed in the future.

Thus, what was originally just a formality finally came to an end after delaying everyone for nearly half an hour.

After entering Universal Salvation Temple, Xiao Chen and his two companions were finally offered seats and tea.

However, the original plan was for everyone to discuss the fight against the Sea Race in the Great Hero Hall.

It has now been temporarily moved to the side hall next door.

And it's estimated that they won't be entering the main hall again for the foreseeable future.

There's nothing we can do about that; nobody wants strange phenomena to occur around them during negotiations, making it feel like the underworld.

Even Xiao Chen himself didn't want to stay in that kind of environment.

He's just not afraid of Sha Qi; he's not a real Demon.

However, there wasn't really anything for everyone to discuss.

After all, only Xiao Chen and two others came this time, their purpose being to share the pressure, not to launch a direct counterattack.

Therefore, Universal Salvation Temple considered that they were not familiar with the grand formation and were not very good at Buddhist teachings, so they cooperated accordingly.

Just as expected, they were all assigned to assist in repairing the Array Foundation.

Although Xiao Chen and the others do not directly participate in the defense, this will alleviate the biggest problem currently facing Universal Salvation Temple —the shortage of Array Foundation.

It's already the end of July.

It has been almost three years since the Sea Race Invasion.

For such a long time, Universal Salvation Temple appeared to be impregnable.

In fact, almost all the Normal Array Foundation except for the Core Array Foundation have been replaced.

If it weren't for the fact that during the peaceful years of the past, Universal Salvation Temple had taken precautions and stored up a considerable number of Spare Array Foundation in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Otherwise, even if Zen Master Jing Chi, who was in charge of repairing the Array Foundation in the temple, worked himself to death, he would not be able to fill such a large gap.

In fact, they were already stretched thin at the moment.

The various spiritual materials that had been prepared in advance were almost running out.

It must be noted that there is no shortage of raw materials at Universal Salvation Temple.

Inside the warehouse, large quantities of fourth-tier spirit ore were piled up almost like mountains.

Previously, in order to be able to make flexible adjustments to deal with different situations, half of them were simply stored in the form of ore.

Only half of it was extracted for use in weapon crafting and array formation.

As a result, the high intensity of the war since its start has led to severe attrition.

This resulted in a situation where, despite having spirit ore, there was simply not enough time to replenish it.

Over time, their reserves were almost completely depleted.

Therefore, Xiao Chen and his team's primary task was to help refine the spirit ore.

Then, refined ore was used to repair the Array Foundation.

"Fortunately, both Layman Gang Yuan and Layman Zhang have a certain foundation in formations, so they should be familiar with refining spirit ore, right?"

The Zen Master Jing Chi Jingchi, with a joyful expression, said, "I'll have to ask for your help even more from now on."

Despite being a dignified Fourth-Order Zen Master, his eyes were already bloodshot.

There was no other way; in order to make up for the shortfall as much as possible, he had been working almost non-stop for the past six months, without eating, drinking, or sleeping.

Even for cultivators, going without sleep for so long would be too much to bear.

"This... well, okay."

Zhang Shouquan came to learn about formations, so he was inevitably somewhat disappointed upon hearing this.

He knew it; nothing good ever came of being with Xiao Chen.

Fortunately, he could distinguish between what was important and what was urgent, and asked directly, "What kind of spirit ore is most important right now? Please give it to me."

Gang Yuan True Monarch didn't mind at all and readily agreed, "Repairing the Array Foundation and inscribing Formation Pattern might be a bit difficult for me."

"But we're both skilled at refining spirit ore, so you can rest assured."

He wasn't unaware of the importance of Fifth-Order Grand Array.

On the contrary, it was precisely because Gang Yuan True Monarch knew that the Fifth-Order Grand Array was extremely profound and complex that he had no intention of stealing the master's skills.

He's not young anymore; he's no longer a young man like Zhang Shouquan.

In the future, it would be good enough to be able to fully understand the Fourth-tier Grand Array. Any higher goals would be meaningless and would only bring dissatisfaction and pain.

"Very well, with the layperson's words, I can rest assured."

Zen Master Jing Chi mustered his spirits and explained the most urgently needed spiritual minerals one by one, "For now, let's deal with these urgent needs first, and we'll make adjustments later."

"Then I'll leave this to you two."

"I'll finish repairing the Array Foundation I have on hand first, and then rest for two hours."

"Please come and wake me up around midnight (9-11 PM) so we can discuss repairing the Array Foundation together."

"At that time, I will supplement the information while guiding everyone to understand the Array Foundation and Formation Pattern."

Although he was very tired, he decided to finish his work before resting.

This is done to avoid forgetting a detail after waking up and having to re-examine the damaged parts of the Array Foundation, thus saving more than half an hour.

"Wait a minute, Master Jing Chi, what about me?"

Xiao Chen listened for a long time but still couldn't hear what he was supposed to do. "What is my mission, or rather, what should I do now?"

Zen Master Jing Chi quickly replied, "Layman Xiao naturally also has very important matters to attend to."

"Go through the Daoist Sect here and turn right. After about twenty paces, you'll see a small courtyard on your right. There's a Temporary Storeroom in the southeast corner of the courtyard."

"Inside are all the Array Foundation that were dismantled from the front but haven't been processed yet."

"Next, I'll trouble you, Layman Xiao, to go over there and do a preliminary cleanup of those Array Foundation."

"And place the cleaned Array Foundation on the shelves here."

This didn't sound difficult, but Xiao Chen still pressed for details. "The initial cleanup shouldn't be too complicated, right? Are there any special precautions we need to take?"

"To be honest, I really have no experience in this area."

Upon hearing this, Zen Master Jing Chi changed his plans on the spot. "Then I will go over there first and demonstrate for Layman Xiao."

"However, our other plans remain unchanged. Be sure to wake me up precisely at 9 PM."

Gang Yuan True Monarch felt a little reluctant. "Is there any relevant classic text for reference?"

"If there is one, leave the demonstration to me."

"You should go and rest for a while."

Upon hearing this, Zen Master Jing Chi hesitated for a moment.

He does indeed have several books that record the maintenance experience of the great formation left by the predecessors of Universal Salvation Temple.

Logically speaking, this kind of thing should definitely not be shown to outsiders.

However, these individuals are in special circumstances, and the current situation is also special, so an exception should be made.

Besides, we'll be teaching them how to repair the Array Foundation anyway.

At that time, it will inevitably involve some basic knowledge, so there seems to be no point in hiding it; it's just a matter of sooner or later.

Thinking of this...

Zen Master Jing Chi then took out the book containing the instructions on cleaning and repairing the Array Foundation Array Foundation: "The specific procedures are all in here."

"You can also take a look at the back beforehand; it contains some insights and experiences regarding repairing the Array Foundation."

"We'll be able to use it tonight."

There's Secret Manual!

Zhang Shouquan's eyes lit up when he saw the book handed to Gang Yuan True Monarch.

He immediately said, "Daoist Gang Yuan, how about I demonstrate for Daoist Xiao?"

Since we've already been granted permission to watch, a little longer won't make a difference.

But he was secretly overjoyed and couldn't wait any longer.

Gang Yuan True Monarch didn't mind at all. "No problem, since Daoist Zhang wants to go, then it's up to you."

Zhang Shouquan immediately reached out to take the book.

However, another hand reached out and took it away first.

Zhang Shouquan turned his head and saw that it was Xiao Chen who had intercepted the prize.

"Let me see, this thing is quite thick."

Xiao Chen smiled as he held the book, then looked up at Zhang Shouquan: "Then it will be up to Daoist Zhang to teach us from the very first page."

"Daoist Xiao, please let me hold onto the book first."

"Daoist Zhang, let me keep this for reference."

"Daoist Xiao, may I take a look first?"

"Daoist Zhang, don't be in such a hurry. There will be plenty of time to look at it slowly later."

Zhang Shouquan was starting to panic.

He knew it; nothing good ever came of being with Xiao Chen.