"Tiger Bro, Zimo, how are you?" Shen Zhui and the other two emerged from the opening by the artificial mountain.
"We finally made it out. We're fine." Rong Zimo's face relaxed.
"With just these guys, they're still not enough to threaten us," Zhao Hu said boldly.
"Brother Han..." Rong Zimo noticed that Han Mao's complexion looked rather poor.
"It's nothing. I've already recovered quite a bit." Han Mao smiled. The fact that he alone had used divine power to destroy a Branch Shrine was already a very good result.
"Leave immediately." Han Mao gave the order at once.
"Let's go."
The group was just about to break through and retreat when a terrifying pressure suddenly swept in from all around, and the sky abruptly darkened.
Shen Zhui and the other four immediately felt stifled. The vitality in their bodies no longer flowed smoothly, becoming extremely sluggish instead.
"Shameless little thieves!" An angry shout rang out from all around them. At the same time, an enraged bald Daoist appeared above the manor. It was none other than Daoist Xiangyang, who had hurried back.
He looked down at them, his face livid. "You five Houtian Martial Artists actually destroyed the Branch Shrine while I was away?"
"I'll tear you all to pieces!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Daoist Xiangyang flung a diamond-shaped disc the size of a palm from his sleeve.
"Array, rise!"
Following this furious shout, the surrounding pavilions, waterside halls, artificial mountains, and trees all emitted wisps of ghostly light, enveloping the entire manor and its surrounding space.
Shen Zhui and the others felt the pressure intensify several times over, to the point that even breathing became difficult.
"He's back?" Rong Zimo cried out in alarm. They were both in the Xiantian Realm, but a Qi Cultivation True Person's methods were far more powerful than a martial artist's.
"Not good! It's the Vitality Locking Array!" Han Mao's face instantly went deathly pale.
Using the various artificial mountains standing nearby as its foundation and the pavilions and waterside halls as its pillars, Daoist Xiangyang had laid out the Vitality Locking Array. It could affect the movements of enemies inside the array, and even cut off the trapped individuals' access to the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy.
Inside the Vitality Locking Array, anyone trapped within who wanted to recover their vitality would do so at less than half their normal speed. If they wanted to borrow the Power of Heaven and Earth, the difficulty of controlling it would double. On top of that, the substantial pressure produced by the array's foundation acted upon the body, greatly reducing its speed.
The array's master, meanwhile, remained completely unharmed.
With one side weakened and the other strengthened, even an enemy one minor realm above Daoist Xiangyang would find it difficult to escape!
"Everyone, be careful. This is the Vitality Locking Array. Head south!" Han Mao had seen plenty and immediately noticed the changes. He led everyone southward to break through.
At this moment, Daoist Xiangyang could see them, but they could not see where their enemy was. They did not dare to be careless.
"Hm? You actually recognized that this is the Vitality Locking Array?" Daoist Xiangyang was somewhat surprised.
"But this isn't an ordinary Vitality Locking Array. It's the Wind Fire Vitality Locking Array!"
Daoist Xiangyang was brimming with confidence. How could he, stationed at this Branch Shrine, have no methods at his disposal? With the Li Family's resources supporting him, he had meticulously arranged this killing array. It was not merely meant to trap enemies!
Sure enough, as Han Mao and the others began breaking through from the south, the surroundings suddenly changed.
"Whoosh, whoosh~"
A seven- or eight-zhang-high wall of flames abruptly appeared, blocking the path of Han Mao and the other four.
"What? This..." Han Mao was startled, but he immediately gave an order. "Turn back!"
"Shen Zhui, hurry!" Zhao Hu shouted.
They retreated northward, but after taking only a few steps, violent winds suddenly came surging toward them.
Flying sand and rolling stones filled the sky. The wind blew so fiercely that the five of them could not open their eyes and lost their sense of direction.
"What—what exactly is going on?" Rong Zimo began to panic.
The flames now formed a semicircle and gradually closed in, while on the other side, fierce winds howled, mixed with attacks from flying stones.
Somewhere nearby, a hidden Xiantian Master was also waiting for the chance to strike.
Although they still had the trump card of Summon Deity unused, they did not even know where their enemy was now.
Shen Zhui closed his eyes and carefully sensed his surroundings.
An array was also a means of borrowing the Power of Heaven and Earth. However, by combining special array materials, it could produce various different offensive effects.
Shen Zhui sensed that if he unleashed his saber technique, he should be able to break through that wall of flames.
Just then—
"Old thief! Come out and fight!" Zhao Hu roared.
"Tiger Bro, don't!" Shen Zhui shouted, but he was already too late.
Zhao Hu had already activated the token in his hand, borrowing divine power to strengthen himself.
The Green Token in his hand trembled with a buzzing sound, its tip pointing toward the sky. Zhao Hu immediately shot upward from the ground, flying in the direction indicated by the token.
"Zhao Hu, don't be rash!"
"Tiger Bro!"
Han Mao and Rong Zimo both shouted at once, but it was too late. In the next moment, Zhao Hu's figure vanished from their sight.
"Shout. Go mad!" Daoist Xiangyang looked at the frenzied Zhao Hu below, a trace of satisfaction in his eyes. "It would be best if all of you summoned divine power and exhausted yourselves to death inside this great array!"
The Wind Fire Vitality Locking Killing Array could trap even those in the Xiantian Realm, let alone martial artists who knew nothing of Daoist arts. They were even easier to trap.
"Hm? He actually flew up here to seek death?" Daoist Xiangyang coldly stared at Zhao Hu, who was soaring into the sky from below.
"If the Branch Shrine hadn't been destroyed, I could have borrowed the Yin God's power and pushed this array's might even further. With the killing array alone, I could grind an Early-stage Xiantian Martial Artist to death. Why would I need to act personally..."
"Those bastards!"
Daoist Xiangyang's figure descended slightly. Two azure rays of light appeared in his hands and transformed into two great mountains, crashing down toward Zhao Hu.
"Die!"
"Pfft!" Zhao Hu fell from the sky, his face pale.
"Tiger Bro." Shen Zhui hurried over to support him.
"I... couldn't beat him." Zhao Hu sighed.
He had only just entered the Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm. With the amplification from Summon Deity's power, he was merely on par with an Early-stage Xiantian Martial Artist.
As for Daoist Xiangyang, although his strength was equivalent to that of an Early-stage Xiantian Martial Artist, with the array's support and his Daoist arts, he was actually infinitely close to the Mid-stage Xiantian realm.
Zhao Hu naturally could not defeat him and had suffered some minor injuries.
However, the other party had not pursued them down. He was probably still planning to exhaust them to death first.
"Brother Han, what do we do now?" Rong Zimo looked toward Han Mao.
"I only know a little about Daoist arts." Han Mao sighed. "It seems there's only one way to break the array: all of us must summon divine power and force our way out."
This was the disadvantage of Houtian Martial Artists.
Before one reached the Xiantian stage, the vitality within one's body had not transformed into Xiantian Spiritual Energy, so there was no way to release it on a large scale to protect the body.
Faced with burning flames and raging winds like these, what would happen if they tried to force their way through? They would probably be burned alive.
"If this were merely the array, one person summoning divine power would be enough to protect everyone. But there's also an enemy hidden in the dark, so we can't delay any longer!"
"If we delay any further, once reinforcements from the Li Family arrive, none of us will get away!"
"No, Cousin." Yan You panicked. "You've already used divine power once. If you use it again, you'll have to burn your lifespan."
"Staying alive is what matters!" Han Mao shouted. "Prepare yourselves. As long as we can force our way out, perhaps we can survive!"
"I..." Yan You fell silent. To expend the power of Summon Deity completely in this battle was an outcome they had never expected. If that truly happened, it was hard to say whether they could even make it back to the county city in the end.
"Do we all have to summon divine power to get out of this array?" Shen Zhui's heart tightened.
"I've reached the realm of Unity of Heaven and Man. My perception and control of the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy far surpasses that of others, almost rivaling a true Xiantian Master."
"Perhaps I can break this array without borrowing divine power!"
"I'll give it a try!" Shen Zhui made up his mind.
"Brother Han, Yan You, Zimo, all of you follow me!" Shen Zhui suddenly shouted.
"Tiger Bro, cooperate with me. When I tell you where to attack, strike immediately!"
This furious shout made Han Mao and Yan You unable to stop themselves from looking toward Shen Zhui.
Shen Zhui casually swung his steel saber. There was clearly no trace of him borrowing divine power, yet the fierce winds automatically veered around him half a meter away, forming a windless pocket of space.
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