Soul Devouring Mother-Child Array (Seeking Recommendation Tickets! Seeking Favorites! Seeking Investment!)

Mount Luo was vast. According to Chen Mei's introduction while they had been traveling atop the Yin Corpse Cloud, Mount Luo had thirty-six peaks, seventy-two waterfalls, and countless rivers and streams. Its main range stretched for tens of thousands of miles.

Thanks to its abundant moisture, the vegetation was lush, and there were countless kinds of birds and beasts. Snakes, insects, and the like were also everywhere.

Fortunately, Chen Huan and his group had come prepared. As soon as they entered the forest, they distributed insect-repelling sachets to everyone. Zhang Zhongqin also led the way, wielding a long saber to hack open a path. Though they were ambushed several times by birds, beasts, and insects, Chen Huan's group had clearly been tested by missions many times. They worked together seamlessly and had plenty of experience handling such situations, so the journey went fairly smoothly overall.

"Quiet!" No one knew how long they had been trudging through the forest when Zhang Zhongqin, who was clearing the way up ahead, suddenly made a hand signal. The entire group immediately tensed. Before Pei Ling could react, a weight settled on his shoulder—Chen Huan had caught up from behind and pressed a hand against him.

Chen Huan's usually refined, handsome face was dark with clouds. He shot Pei Ling a warning glance before turning his gaze toward the front.

Between the towering ancient trees, behind the dense undergrowth, several demon beasts resembling green-furred apes with crimson eyes were playing.

After signaling everyone to retreat a short distance and having Zhang Zhongqin make sure there was no danger nearby, Chen Huan lowered his voice. "According to our earlier reconnaissance, the biggest trouble in this area is that pack of Fiery-eyed Green Apes. If we don't wipe them out, something might go wrong later."

Pei Ling watched in silence, with no intention of going up to help. It would be best if something went awry, giving him a chance to take Chen Mei and complete the deal with Wu Liu!

But next, he saw Xiao Tasha and the others take liquor, sleeping drugs, and other items out of their Storage Pouches one after another. With meticulous planning, they exploited the Fiery-eyed Green Apes' fondness for alcohol and knocked them out... In the end, they took care of the whole pack without drawing a single blade!

After that, with equally thorough preparation, they wiped out a nest of Spirit Devouring Ants and a Blue-winged Crow.

It was difficult to tell direction in the dense forest. Pei Ling could only vaguely sense that they seemed to be circling around a fairly large area. After thoroughly sweeping the circle for the more troublesome demon beasts and insects, Chen Huan and the others finally stopped and led him toward its center.

Throughout the process, Chen Huan remained highly wary of Pei Ling, watching his every move and giving him no chance to pull anything.

Pei Ling's expression didn't change. He could tell that Chen Huan and the others were becoming increasingly obvious about their intentions. But for now, he was cooperating perfectly. Perhaps they also didn't want to break things off because Chen Mei was in his hands.

"Senior Brother Chen, how much farther is the mission site?" After walking for a while, Pei Ling suddenly asked. The surroundings were growing colder and more gloomy.

Even the vegetation had changed to some extent. Sun-loving plants had become far less common, while shade-loving ones were rapidly increasing... And the terrain was gradually sloping downward.

"We're almost there," Chen Huan replied briefly.

As they spoke, they entered a narrow canyon.

Pei Ling's gaze flickered as he carefully memorized every trace along the way.

The canyon ahead was a narrow cleft with only one path through it. High walls of blue rock faced each other overhead, their surfaces covered with creeping vines that dangled all the way to the valley floor, blocking out the sky. Miasma hung in the air, making visibility poor even in broad daylight.

After resting for some time, Xiao Tasha had fully recovered. She climbed down from Huang Xian's back, activated her array disc, and took the lead from Zhang Zhongqin.

Though the place never saw sunlight and remained bitterly cold even at noon, for some reason the vines grew exceptionally thick. They intertwined and coiled together in all kinds of bizarre shapes, looking like demons and ghosts at first glance.

Before long, they parted a clump of thick creeping vines, and the view suddenly opened onto a flat clearing.

Xiao Tasha let out a breath of relief. "Junior Brother Pei, the flower demon is just ahead. Go on!"

Pei Ling's heart skipped a beat. He replied without hesitation, "All right! Hunting the flower demon is a mission for Chen Mei and me. I'll go in with Senior Sister Chen Mei!"

As he spoke, Pei Ling naturally drew the Aversion to Life Saber, then turned it around and laid it against Chen Mei's neck!

Chen Mei's face stiffened at once. She had no idea what was happening, but then she heard Pei Ling say coldly, "Nobody move, or else..."

Before he could finish, both their waists tightened. Pei Ling looked down and saw that, at some point, a thick vine had emerged behind them, wrapping around him and Chen Mei. Then it suddenly dragged them forward!

The scenery around them rippled like water. Pei Ling's pupils contracted sharply. The others, who had been only a few feet away, had vanished.

In their place stood towering ancient trees on every side.

Pei Ling's heart lurched. He held Chen Mei fast with one hand and swung the saber at the vine wrapped around him with the other.

The vine seemed to have a mind of its own. Before the Aversion to Life Saber could fall, it abruptly released him. But right after, it wrapped around Chen Mei and dragged her into the forest!

Without hesitation, Pei Ling slashed toward Chen Mei, but the vine was too fast. It swept her away and retreated at speed before he could reach her!

Pei Ling immediately gave chase. He knew the vine was Chen Huan's spell! Even though he had made every preparation in advance, the two of them were two minor realms apart, and he still couldn't catch up!

Soon, Chen Mei had been dragged into the forest and disappeared among a clump of bushes.

But Pei Ling followed close behind and stepped into them. They were still just bushes, and he nearly snagged his trouser leg on them.

An Illusion Array?!

Pei Ling's expression changed. Then he said coldly, "What do you mean by this, Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters?"

"Nothing in particular. We just want Junior Brother Pei to stay in this Sub-array for a while. We'll be back to get you soon!" Chen Huan replied with a smile.

Pei Ling snorted, but quickly regained his composure. He then said, "Senior Brother Chen, I've always respected you as an elder brother. Why are you plotting against me?"

"Since you regard Senior Brother Chen as an elder brother, then when your elder brother is in trouble, how can you, his junior brother, stand by and do nothing?" Though he couldn't see her, he could hear Xiao Tasha's voice clearly. She giggled. "Junior Brother Pei, stop struggling. Just stay put in the Sub-array. Once the Mother Array is set up, you can obediently feed yourself to Senior Brother Chen's Soul Summoning Banner. That way, your fine body won't go to waste."

Pei Ling tried to pinpoint the direction of the voice and figure out where the exit was, but it came from every direction, making it impossible for him to tell.

Seeing that, Pei Ling stopped speaking and sat down quietly on the ground.

Outside the array, Chen Huan withdrew his gaze and asked Xiao Tasha, "You're sure he can't get out?"

Xiao Tasha answered confidently, "Don't worry, Senior Brother Chen. I even set up an Illusion Array outside the Sub-array. It's the same one I used to trap Senior Brother Huang and Senior Brother Zhang before. Even if he somehow escapes the Sub-array, he definitely won't get out."

She added, "The most important thing now is still the Mother Array. Yesterday, we could only set up the Sub-array and Illusion Array because we were short on materials. The Mother Array is much more complicated and has many more requirements."

"Also, to ensure that Senior Brother Chen can wield the Soul Summoning Banner as easily as his own arm once it's refined, without being disturbed by the souls it controls, we'll need everyone's blood essence and birth details to set up the array—especially yours, Senior Brother Chen... We have to finish all this before midnight. Then we can draw the soul and blood essence out of that kid in the Sub-array with the best possible results and completely merge all the fruits of his painstaking cultivation into the Soul Summoning Banner."

"Otherwise, if we miss the timing, the next suitable day won't come for another five days."

Chen Huan thanked her for her hard work, but still glanced at Huang Xian and Zhang Zhongqin. Only after the two of them nodded slightly, confirming that Xiao Tasha's Illusion Array was indeed reliable, did he smile and say, "Then we'll all follow Junior Sister Xiao's arrangements from here on."

They checked once more to make sure the Illusion Array and Sub-array were intact, then turned and headed for the site of the Mother Array outside the canyon.