The Inner Array Takes Shape, Five Pillars Hold Up the Heavens

After seeing off the conflicted Dugu Bo, Qin Mo did not pause for even a moment before throwing himself into constructing the academy's internal defense system.

The attack by the abyssal shadows had rung like an alarm bell, making him realize that their current defenses were far from sufficient. No matter how strong the outer barrier was, it could not guarantee that it would not be infiltrated by all manner of strange methods. They had to establish a second line of defense within the academy—perhaps even a third.

The "Pure Heart Evil Cleansing Talisman Array" was the core inner defense he had devised.

This array was not an attack or defense formation in the traditional sense. It was more like a massive, academy-wide life purification and energy monitoring system. With the energy pool deep beneath the Myriad Manifestations Pagoda as its core, it would use energy channels buried underground to deliver purifying power to key nodes throughout the academy. The people stationed at those nodes would then guide and release that power, forming an invisible purification field that constantly cleansed the academy's energy environment. It would possess an extremely strong suppressive and purifying effect against all sinister, filthy, cursed, and spiritually corrosive energies.

At the same time, it could keenly detect any abnormal energy fluctuations within the academy. Once it discovered evil energy or unauthorized high-intensity energy reactions, it would automatically issue a warning and could even mobilize its purifying power to counterattack.

Drawing up the blueprint for the entire talisman array was no small undertaking, even for Qin Mo. He secluded himself for a full day, constantly deducing, calculating, and refining the design on the light screen in the Dean's Office. Combining the Myriad Manifestations Sect's array inheritance with the purification properties of the Nine-Story Demon Pagoda, he finally settled on the final plan.

The core of the array would naturally be located beneath the Myriad Manifestations Pagoda and personally controlled by him. The five most important secondary nodes, meanwhile, corresponded to five different purification attributes and required five soul masters with compatible attributes to remain stationed there long-term and nurture them.

The Cold Abyss Node required Ultimate Ice to suppress evil and steady the soul. It was located beneath the ice-attribute Mimicry Training Area in the academy's northern district and would be handled by Bing'er. The Molten Core Node required Ultimate Fire to burn away evil and drive out wickedness. It was located beneath the fire-attribute Mimicry Training Area in the southern district and would be handled by Yan'er. The Shadow Node needed to perceive undercurrents and warn against strange changes. It was located at the convergence of shadows beneath the academy archive and would be handled by Zhu Zhuqing. The Life Node required the Power of Life to cleanse filth and nourish the array hub. It was located beneath the academy herb garden and would be handled by Ye Lingling. The Seven-Colored Node required the light of glazed glass to harmonize energy and stabilize transmission. It was located beneath the academy's central square and would be handled by Ning Rongrong.

Once the plan was finalized, Qin Mo immediately gathered the five women and taught each of them the blueprints for their respective nodes and the formulas for controlling them.

Upon receiving the blueprints and formulas, the five women all felt both the weight of their responsibility and intense excitement. This was not only the crucial duty of protecting the academy, but also an excellent opportunity to deeply comprehend their own martial souls and temper their control over Soul Power.

Over the next few days, a massive yet secretive project unfolded within the academy.

Under Qin Mo's personal command, the academy guards and craftsmen carefully followed the blueprints, digging down at the locations of the five nodes, laying specially made Soul Tool metal conduits and rune baseplates, and connecting them to the core energy pool beneath the Myriad Manifestations Pagoda.

Bing'er and the other four women stayed close by, familiarizing themselves with the "positions" they would guard in the future. At the same time, they continuously practiced the control formulas Qin Mo had taught them, trying to establish an initial connection with their respective nodes.

The process was not without setbacks. The laying of energy channels required extraordinary precision; even the slightest deviation would affect energy transmission efficiency. Connecting the nodes to the core required precise harmonization of Soul Power as well, or energy conflicts could easily arise.

During this time, Ning Rongrong nearly caused a small-scale energy disturbance while harmonizing energy because her control of Soul Power was still lacking. Fortunately, Qin Mo intervened in time and stabilized it. Zhu Zhuqing, meanwhile, was too sensitive to the shadows around her and was struck by the negative energy leaking from the newly formed node, leaving her mind slightly shaken. She only recovered after Ye Lingling treated her.

Yet no one complained, and no one retreated. Instead, through one attempt and failure after another, their understanding of their own martial souls and their control over Soul Power improved at an astonishing rate.

Seven days later, all underground construction was complete.

That night, the moon shone brightly while the stars were sparse.

Qin Mo stood in the core control room on the top floor of the Myriad Manifestations Pagoda. Bing'er, Yan'er, Zhu Zhuqing, Ye Lingling, and Ning Rongrong each sat cross-legged atop the core altar deep within their respective nodes.

"Focus your minds, hold your intent, connect with the nodes, guide your Soul Power, and inject it in sync on my command!" Qin Mo's voice was clearly transmitted into the ears of the five women through the array.

He pressed both hands against the Control Crystal Ball as vast Soul Power and Spiritual Power poured into it madly!

The enormous energy accumulated in the pool beneath the pagoda was instantly stirred, surging through the laid energy channels like roaring rivers toward the five secondary nodes!

"Now!"

The five women cried out together. Following the formulas they had practiced countless times, they poured their Soul Power and martial soul characteristics into the altars beneath them without holding anything back!

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

From five directions across the academy, five pillars of differently colored light suddenly shot from underground into the heavens. Though they vanished in an instant, the vast energy fluctuations made every student and guard feel them in their hearts!

The ice-blue pillar was bitterly cold, anchoring the northern district! The crimson pillar blazed and surged, illuminating the southern district! The pitch-black pillar was deep and mysterious, shrouding the archive! The milky-white pillar brimmed with vitality, nourishing the herb garden! The seven-colored pillar flowed endlessly, stabilizing the center!

The energies of the five pillars flowed through the underground channels and perfectly converged within the core of the Myriad Manifestations Pagoda. After being transformed and harmonized, they were fed back to each node, forming a perfect cycle!

An invisible yet tangible purification field silently enveloped the entire academy like an inverted glazed-glass bowl!

Within the field, the air became fresher and purer, and even the circulation of Soul Power seemed to grow slightly smoother. Any trace of cold, evil, or negative energy within this field became as obvious as a torch in the night and would be continuously suppressed and purified!

"Pure Heart Evil Cleansing Talisman Array, activate!"

Qin Mo's voice carried a trace of exhaustion, but it was filled with satisfaction.

The inner array was complete!

From this moment onward, Myriad Manifestations Academy truly possessed the confidence to deal with all kinds of strange threats. Outside stood an indestructible barrier, within lay an inner array of purification and warning, at the center sat a Limit Douluo, and below, five pillars held up the heavens in protection!

Feeling the close connection between the altars beneath them and their own martial souls, as well as the pure, compatible energy fed back through the array, Bing'er and the other four women were overjoyed. Guarding this array would take time, but it would also greatly benefit their cultivation!

The academy's security level had risen to a new height.

However, Qin Mo did not relax because of this. He knew that the threat of the abyss had not been eliminated. Those strange shadow creatures might merely be the prelude to a far greater storm.

He had to raise the academy's overall strength as quickly as possible, especially... its high-end combat power.

His gaze turned toward the temporarily sealed area in the academy's rear courtyard—this was the place reserved for the future Soul Tool Research Center and Body Refining Hall.

Perhaps it was time to familiarize himself with this world's unique Soul Tool technology and... begin preparing for the even more difficult body-refining plan.