Chapter 197 : Chapter 197

Chapter 197. The Killing Array Reaches Completion

This ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍was not really the fault of the Nine Netherworld Mastiffs. The main reason was that their clan truly lacked both nimble minds and skillful hands. Every other clan had already finished all of its work, yet theirs alone had kept dawdling through the process, careless and prone to mistakes.

Now ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that they had finally reached the very last step, the Nine Netherworld Mastiff Clan nervously sought out the elder in charge. Expectant yet tense, they hoped this time the construction would finally be completed in full.

The ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍elderly elder stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes as he examined it for a long while. The little underlings around him were so nervous that their hearts nearly leaped into their throats.

They ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍were terrified that this attempt would fail again, forcing them to redo everything from the beginning. Not only would that be infuriating in itself, it might even provoke the displeasure of the other great clans of the Ancient Royal Clan.

After ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍roughly ten seconds, the elder before them finally curled his lips and nodded.

Then ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he suddenly broke into a grin. “This time there is no problem. It is absolutely perfect. Not a single stroke in these patterns is wrong.”

The moment they heard that final confirmation, the members of the Nine Netherworld Mastiff Clan were instantly overjoyed.

“Wonderful!” The young cultivator leaped up in excitement and shouted jubilantly, “Then does that mean we can activate the killing array now?”

“Really? If we can activate the killing array now, that would be incredible! After cultivating for so many years, I can finally show what I am capable of.”

“Exactly. We have cultivated here all these years and never once had the chance to test our skills.”

“I never expected that the moment we got the chance, it would be something this big. This time, we can finally see how capable we really are.”

The cultivators of the Nine Netherworld Mastiff Clan around them were all beside themselves with excitement.

A belligerent blood flowed in their bones by nature, so compared to other clans, they were even more competitive and even more eager for this battle.

“What is the hurry? Useless fools…” The elder glared at them and cursed darkly, “The array may be complete, but we still have to wait for Lord Shi Ritian’s order before activating it. Besides, the other great clans have not said anything, so when did it become our turn to speak?

The more it is at a moment like this, the more it is a time when the first bird to stick its head out gets shot. The more you say, the more likely you are to make mistakes. So during this period, you had best speak less and do more.

More importantly, that human has not even arrived yet. If you activate the killing array now, who exactly are you going to attack? Or are you trying to throw yourselves into confusion and make this mess even worse by attracting that human’s attention? If something goes wrong then, can you bear the responsibility?”

After the elder’s stern reprimand, the younger cultivators immediately became obedient and well-behaved.

“Hehe, that is true… We really were a bit too impatient.” The young cultivator scratched his head. “So we just wait? Wait for that human to come and die? But what if he does not come? Would not all our efforts have been wasted?”

“Hahahaha, of course not!” The elder laughed heartily, his voice crisp and forceful. “Everything is ready now. All that remains is the east wind. Once that human, who does not know the immensity of heaven and earth, arrives, you will understand the power of the Number One Killing Array of the Ancient Days. When that time comes, little ones like you probably will not even get the chance to enter the battlefield. The Ancient Killing Array sweeps away all before it. People like us will not even need to lift a hand.”

At those words, some of the Nine Netherworld Mastiff cultivators rejoiced, while others worried.

Some were eager to charge onto the battlefield and display their might.

But others were rather afraid of death. They had grown accustomed to peaceful lives and had no desire to go to war and slaughter one another.

On the other side, the warriors of the Heaven Horned Ant Clan were seated together, eating meat in great mouthfuls and drinking wine just as freely.

They had always been swift and efficient, so they had resolved all their tasks long ago.

Now all they had to do was wait for the great battle to begin.

With nothing to do, the Heaven Horned Ant Clan had already started entertaining themselves in various ways.

“Come, come, drain this bowl… This is a fine wine our leader kept hidden away for a long time. He is only willing to let us enjoy it now because he is truly happy this time.” A burly man raised his wine bowl. “A toast to the killing array reaching completion!”

“Drink! How could we fail to honor a wine like this?”

“Hahaha, exactly, exactly! Wine like this is hard to come by. Our leader has truly been generous for once, so I am definitely going to drink a little more.”

“That is right. A chance like this is rarely encountered, so of course we have to drink more.”

“Hahaha, if that is the case, then enough talk. Drink!”

All the cultivators raised their bowls together and drained them in one swallow.

“Excellent!”

One of the Heaven Horned Ants flexed his biceps, the muscles on his arms appearing especially powerful beneath the light. Wiping his mouth, he spoke with bloodthirsty light flashing in his eyes, “Once we kill that human, I am going to use his skull as a wine bowl…”

The moment those words were spoken, the cultivators immediately grew even more animated, shouting in excitement.

“Hahaha, how domineering!”

“I want that too. In that case, I will use that human’s ribs to make myself a toothpick.”

“I will make a war drum from his skin… and beat it every day.”

The more they spoke, the more excited they became, as though Chu Feng were already a dead man ready to be carved up among them.

On the high platform at the mouth of Duanhun Valley, Shi Ritian stood with his hands behind his back, looking down over the bustling scene below. Watching the cultivators brim with confidence, each of them certain they could take Chu Feng’s head, he could not help curling his lips into a satisfied smile.

It was done.

The Ancient Killing Array had finally been completed as he had wished.

The waiting of these past dozens of days, the torment of these past dozens of days, the hardship of these past dozens of days—all of it had been worth it at this moment.

As he watched the eight great clans labor and bustle for this cause, now that the Ancient Killing Array had been completed, even Shi Ritian felt a little dazed.

At first, he had only meant to try his luck, yet he had never expected that he would truly succeed.

In that case, it meant that even heaven was helping him: Chu Feng, just wait obediently for your death!

Shi Ritian gazed into the distance, his heart filled with nothing but foul and filthy thoughts.

“Lord Shi! Lord Shi!”

Suddenly, a cultivator of the Nine Netherworld Mastiff Clan quickly climbed onto the high platform, dropped to one knee, and spoke with a face full of excitement. “Reporting to you, my lord, the array bases of all eight clans have been fully adjusted, and the Ancient Killing Array can now be activated at any moment. The Eight Great Leaders have also expressed that they stand ready at all times to obey your command…”

Shi Ritian slightly curled his lips again, looking every bit like a petty man flushed with success. “Good, good, good. You have all worked hard. Pass down my order: each shall hold his own position and await commands at all times.”

This was not actually something Shi Ritian could decide on his own. Everything depended on when Chu Feng would step into the trap and snare they had laid out. Otherwise, even if the array were activated, it would serve no purpose at all.

That was also why Shi Ritian had ordered all the warriors to stand ready at all times. No one could be certain when Chu Feng would arrive, but one thing was certain: once Chu Feng came, the array had to be activated immediately to trap him.

“Yes!” The cultivator accepted the order and withdrew.

Shi Ritian clasped his hands behind his back, turned around, and looked into the distance, toward the direction of the Great Chu Dynasty.