Bewildering Array

The mountain road was rugged, with hill after hill rolling up and down like waves.

The group entering the mountains struggled onward through the forest. The Military Academy students, who had looked somewhat the worse for wear after being jolted around in the vehicles, now proved to be in better shape than the inspectors.

These students enjoyed abundant nutrition in their daily lives and underwent high-intensity training every day, so their physical fitness was far superior to that of the inspectors. Wearing heavy stab-proof vests as they crossed mountains and ridges, every one of them held on without showing much fatigue.

Li Fei, Lu Changwu, and a dozen or so other children of Overseeing Bureau officials had been quietly arranged at the very front, following closely behind Lu Sheng and several Registered Martial Masters from the Cessation of Hostilities Bureau.

Being at the very front seemed dangerous, but was actually safer, because the most elite combatants in the entire group were here. Moreover, if a good opportunity arose, Li Fei, Lu Changwu, and the others could participate immediately and earn credit.

They had been given such preferential treatment naturally because Lu Sheng was leading the Overseeing Bureau team.

"Liu A'si, how much farther?"

Lu Sheng asked the guide leading them. Sweat had appeared on his forehead, and he was breathing slightly heavily.

The guide, Liu A'si, was a simple, honest mountain dweller. His skin was rough, marked with cracks here and there. At Lu Sheng's words, he hurriedly turned around and said cautiously,

"Officer, it should be just ahead."

To stamp out the influence of the Tranquil God Sect, the Overseeing Bureau had posted large numbers of flyers in all the villages and strongholds around Xingcheng, warning people to beware of evil cults and encouraging them to report such groups, with rewards for informants.

Liu A'si was an ordinary hunter from Mount Luo Stronghold. A few days earlier, while hunting in the mountains, he had accidentally discovered a stronghold hidden there. The stronghold contained an altar, and the symbols on it were exactly the same as those of the Tranquil God Sect on the flyers. Hoping to claim the reward, Liu A'si had gone into the city to report it to the Overseeing Bureau, which had led to this operation.

The Overseeing Bureau had repeatedly interrogated Liu A'si and secretly investigated him in Mount Luo Stronghold. Only after confirming that he was not a problem and that Mount Luo Stronghold indeed bore traces left by the Tranquil God Sect did they report it to the City Lord's Manor, contact the Cessation of Hostilities Bureau, and launch this large-scale operation.

The group continued forward. After walking for several minutes, mist gradually appeared in the forest, and the temperature plummeted.

Li Fei suddenly sensed the Steel Armor Implant inside him becoming restless. He felt slightly uneasy, and immediately took notice.

Ever since the Steel Armor Implant had begun to stir and he had drawn closer and closer to the Body Breaking Stage, he had found that his perception of danger was growing sharper. When practicing his punches at the Qingyuan Fist Fortress, there were times when he could sense where his opponent intended to strike without even looking.

The introduction to the Steel Armor Implant in the Illustrated Handbook of Implants Hao Yi had given him only mentioned that this implant could enhance the body's defensive strength. It did not mention that it could also enhance a person's perception.

Li Fei guessed that this was probably the difference between a Second Grade Upper Class Steel Armor and an ordinary Steel Armor Implant.

"Something's wrong."

When Li Fei sensed danger, Wang Ping, who was leading the group, suddenly spoke as well.

Wang Ping was a Registered Martial Master of the Cessation of Hostilities Bureau and the highest-ranking commander of this operation. The moment he spoke, everyone around them stopped.

"My lord?"

Lu Sheng looked at him.

Wang Ping stared at the thin mist ahead. "This mist isn't right."

After saying that, he walked toward a nearby tree and suddenly struck out with his palm. A visible red vapor surged from his palm.

The vapor carried scorching heat. Even from more than ten meters away, Li Fei could feel its warmth.

Innate One Qi?

Li Fei thought to himself.

Only upon reaching the Body Breaking Stage could one be considered a true martial artist, while those who reached the Qi Transformation Stage could be called martial masters. Wang Ping was a Registered Martial Master appointed by the imperial court, so he naturally possessed Innate One Qi.

The red Innate One Qi dissolved all the white mist around the tree. White smoke rose from the trunk with a sizzling sound.

Once the smoke dispersed, Wang Ping walked to the tree, crouched down, and examined it.

Everyone around them gathered over.

Li Fei saw some strange marks carved into the bottom of the trunk, with red powder still clinging to them.

Wang Ping touched a little of the red powder with his finger, held it beneath his nose, and sniffed it. Then he stood up. "As expected, it's a Bewildering Array."

Lu Sheng hurriedly asked, "Lord Wang, do you mean this mist surrounding us was created by an array formation?"

"Yes. Someone set up a Bewildering Array here. It seems the Tranquil God Sect's headquarters really is here," Wang Ping said.

Lu Sheng frowned at this and immediately called Liu A'si over.

"When you came here before, was this mist already here?"

If the Bewildering Array had always existed, how had an ordinary man like Liu A'si managed to pass through it and discover the Tranquil God Sect's headquarters? But if the Bewildering Array had only been constructed recently, did that mean the Tranquil God Sect had already noticed something?

"I don't know. There wasn't any mist when I came here," Liu A'si said nervously.

Lu Sheng stared at him for a while. Seeing nothing amiss, he turned to Wang Ping.

"My lord, I'm afraid there's something strange about this."

Wang Ping remained calm and said casually, "The Bewildering Array also needs regular maintenance. It could be that when this man came, the grand array happened to be undergoing maintenance, allowing him to discover the Tranquil God Sect's headquarters. Of course, it's also possible that the array was constructed recently and the Tranquil God Sect has already become wary. But either way, we've come all this way. Could we really turn back now?"

"This..."

Lu Sheng hesitated.

Wang Ping said confidently, "Don't worry. Watch me break the array."

With that, he turned to Li Fei and the others. "All of you, move farther away and cover your ears."

Li Fei immediately did as instructed, covering his ears as he retreated.

The others followed suit.

In the end, Wang Ping stood alone at the very front and took a deep breath.

It was a long breath, like a whale drawing in water.

His chest swelled high, and his neck thickened by an entire circle. Then he opened his mouth wide and suddenly exhaled.

"ROAR!!!"

It was as if muffled thunder had erupted in the mountain forest. A visible mass of red energy spewed from Wang Ping's mouth and spread in all directions, whipping up a gale that sent the surrounding branches swaying!

The surrounding inspectors and students stared at Wang Ping in horror, unable to believe that such a sound could come from a human being.

Clouds followed the dragon, and wind followed the tiger. Wang Ping's roar was like a tiger roaring through the mountains, summoning a raging gale. It gave Li Fei gooseflesh and instinctively stirred his sense of danger.

He focused his eyes and saw the surrounding mist rapidly dispersing as though swept away by the gale.

"A martial artist's vigorous, masculine Qi and Blood can disrupt the ritual workings of spells and thereby dispel them."

The words Hao Yi had told him surfaced in his mind. The scene before him now happened to confirm them.

With a single roar from Wang Ping, the Bewildering Array before them was broken! Once the mist dispersed, several figures appeared on the hillside ahead, holding Native Guns used for hunting.

"Enemies ahead!"

An inspector shouted a warning.

"Charge!"

At Lu Sheng's command, he waved for everyone to rush forward.

Clang—

Li Fei drew his saber.