Painting of the Nine Immortals

Chapter 222: The Broken Array

Translator: Tatienne Editor: Rundi

At the most crucial moment, Zi Dong Lai bit his tongue and made a decision.

Even though the Array of Purple Clouds was a treasure left behind by the ancestors, it cannot be compared with thousands of lives. For this reason, he decided to give up this array and instead, save everyone’s lives.

"Elders, listen to my order. Inject all your spiritual energy into the array and defend!" Zi Dong Lai shouted as he transferred all his Qi into the array.

The Elders realized the severity of the situation, and they too unleashed all their spiritual energy in hope that it would be enough to suppress against the power of an original level.

Immediately, more purple cloud emerged and materialized into a nine-sided shield, guarding against the horrifying power of the phoenix.

Boooom!

After an earth-shattering rumble, the entire area began to quake!

One was the prominent Array of the Purple Cloud that shook 36 islands, the other was the Inner Dan of a rare phoenix. Both opponents were overbearing and unforgiving. The violence resulted from the clash was unimaginable!

After a long while, the Heaven and Earth finally restored its original clarity.

The purple clouds disappeared without a trace, and the red Inner Dan was also nowhere to be seen. It was as if nothing had happened.

The only thing remained that spoke of strange sadness was the red dots on the ground.

The phoenix’s pupils have dulled, and its breathing has weakened. It collapsed onto the ground lifelessly. Its wings no longer spitting out the deadly fire that was surrounded by heavenly light.

It was obvious that its life was hanging by a thread.

The Inner Dan is the second life of a beast. If it is only damaged, then there is a chance for survival. However, if it is completely crushed, then death is the only thing that awaits.

Of course, for a phoenix, one of God’s favorite beasts with ancient majestic blood running through it, it has a third option.

To be reborn with the shower of flames.

However, regular flames do not have the properties needed to revive these beasts. Only the legendary Godly Fires can. Since Godly Fires are beyond rare and the phoenix cannot endure much longer, the only option now was to end its suffering. How could there possibly be a chance for it to be reborn?

"Phew, we defended it."

Zi Dong Lai sighed in relief. However, a shrill pain of the flesh immediately engulfed him. Though he has stopped the terrifying Inner Dan, the Array of Purple Clouds has diminished greatly. It is now only half of the 30 to 40 percent power from before.

What can it possibly do with that little amount of power?

It was probably enough to stop the invasion of foundational leveled cultivators. However, why would the House of Zi Yang be scared of foundational evaders?

No doubt about it, at this very moment, the Array of Purple Clouds that once brought shock upon the 36 Islands, is now utterly useless.

The capability of the House of Zi Yang as a whole decreased by at least 30 percent as a result of this!

Of course, it’s not like it will be impossible for them to fix it. However, the Array of Purple Clouds is now far too damaged. Even the most capable array masters would shake their heads in helplessness.

This was why Zi Dong Lai felt such a sharp pain in his stomach. However, there was nothing he could’ve done. If he didn’t sacrifice the Array of Purple Clouds, then the entire cave the House lived in would’ve collapsed.

"Ay, it all comes down to how many lives I can save. Ancestor, if you didn’t feel the ambition to tame this phoenix in the first place, we never would’ve had to deal with this." Zi Dong Lai sighed in relief and marched forward in huge leaps towards the barely breathing phoenix.

Seeing the arrival of Zi Dong Lai, the phoenix used all of its strength to push itself off the ground and stood up. It straightened its body with much difficulty and announced, "The phoenix kind has always been proud. Even if I die, I will die standing up."

"How staunch." Zi Dong Lai exhaled deeply. He was aware of the fact that what happened today was not entirely the phoenix’s fault. However, since the hatred between the House and the phoenix was as deep as the ocean, he had no choice but to be ruthless and end it all."

Zi Dong Lai raised an arm. A golden spear emerged into his hand, and he aimed directly at the phoenix’s throat.

Woooosh!

The Inner Dan of the phoenix completely shattered. Without any trace of energy left to defend, the phoenix could only watch the spear enter its own throat.

Bang!

The phoenix once again fell to the ground. Its eyes wide open, telling tales of sadness and sorrow.

Even after death, it still did not know what it did wrong. All it wanted was freedom and to be able to fly, why was that wrong? Why did it have to pay with its life?

The exact second it fell to the ground, its soul escaped out of its body and rose into the sky. Slowly, it materialized.

Nobody at the scene saw this magical event. However, Ling Xian’s eyes were wide open, and all the hair on his neck stood up.

Because the phoenix’s soul dashed directly at him and entered the Painting of the Nine Immortals!

What… What is this?!

Ling Xian’s face was full of disbelief. Even with his personality, he was shocked at this turn of events.

Luckily, he has experienced many storms in his life that have trained him always to be composed. He quickly wiped the astonishment off his face and pretended that nothing has happened in order to escape everyone’s keen eyes.

If others found out that the soul of the phoenix entered his body, regardless of how heavily Zi Dong Lai liked him, he will not be safe.

After all, the hatred between the phoenix and the Zi Yang House was as deep as the ocean. There was no way Zi Dong Lai would allow his enemy to live on in this world.

Fortunately, everyone’s attention was concentrated on the phoenix’s corpse. Nobody noticed Ling Xian’s strangeness.

"The body of a phoenix is very valuable. It can be used to brew medicine or make weapons. Thankfully, this somewhat makes up for what we lost today. Or else we would be really big losers." Zi Dong Lai stared at the phoenix’s corpse as his face became heated. But every time he remembered that the Array of Purple Clouds was now gone, he couldn’t help it but to feel a heartache.

The corpse of a phoenix really was valuable, but it was still incomparable against an array that can fight off completion leveled cultivators. On top of that, it was an ancestral treasure that possessed great meanings. If there were a choice, Zi Dong Lai would much rather keep the array than get this corpse.

Sadly, there were no choices to make. The broken array was no longer a prospect but a fact. The only thing they could do now was to figure out a way to fix it.

Sighing, Zi Dong Lai muttered to an Elder behind him, "Go fetch Master Lin. Ask him if there is a possibility that the Array of the Purple Clouds can be restored."

"Yes, Headmaster, I will do that right now." The Elder nodded and walked off to the West.

Master Lin was the only Array Master on Shi Ao Island. He was very knowledgeable and had a very high status. In the entire Shi Ao Island, he was considered a prestigious figure.

Even the Supreme Headmasters of the three controlling forces treated him with great respect and did not dare to provoke him.

After all, in the cultivation community, Array Masters have very high positions because every House, Clan, and family, need their help at some point in their lives. Additionally, on the entire Shi Ao Island, Master Lin was the sole Array Master.

This really accented his importance. Everyone who sees him treats him with the utmost respect and are very careful around him.

"Headmaster, who is this Master Lin?" Ling Xian suddenly asked.

"An Array Master. Other than the arrays set by our ancestors, he has set all the other arrays and is in charge of maintaining them." Zi Dong Lai smiled.

"Is that so? Then I must meet this individual."

Ling Xian was suddenly very excited. Ever since he acquired the inheritance from Feng Qing Ming, he has become highly interested in arrays. Now that he hears an Array Master is coming, his interest naturally grew.

After a while, the Elder from before and a grey-haired cultivator descended from the sky.

This person wore a white robe, and his cheeks were flushed with color. However, the naturally flowing cockiness on his face damaged his otherwise divine temperament.

It was Master Lin.

Perhaps it was due to his high status in the society and the fact that nobody ever disrespects him, but he has grown very proud. The first sentence that came out of his mouth was an unfriendly and accusing statement.

"Restore it my *ss. Didn’t I tell you earlier already? There is no way to fix this array. Zi Dong Lai, did water get into your head? Why don’t you understand? Why must you summon me here when you know how busy I am? Every single minute I spend here loses me tens and thousands of spiritual stones. How do you plan to compensate me for all the fortune I have lost?"