Chapter 803: Exploration
In the far western region of Tianluo Continent, Xiao Ze stood calmly in midair, his hands clasped behind his back. Beside him, Mandala gazed at the once fractured space ahead.
The chaotic void had begun to stabilize, as if smoothed by an invisible hand. Shards of fragmented space slowly merged, their jagged edges softening into a seamless whole.
"It's almost ready," Xiao Ze said, surveying the area. "With the space stabilized to this degree, the Saint Flame Legion can safely enter. But once I begin controlling the legion, I'll need to focus completely. Additional defenses are necessary here."
Mandala nodded in understanding. In this endeavor, she could neither enter the Ancient Heavenly Palace nor offer much assistance to Xiao Ze. Her only role was to stay out of his way and avoid becoming a burden.
As the fractured void continued to mend, Xiao Ze's spiritual senses swept through the surroundings to confirm the space's stability. With a flick of his sleeve, numerous radiant spiritual seals erupted forth.
"Ninefold Luminous Array!"
This was a Grandmaster level Spirit Array, acquired during the recent Pill Auction when a Heavenly Sovereign traded it for one of Xiao Ze's divine pills. Its power was extraordinary.
Layer by layer, the spiritual array expanded outward. By the time the ninth layer solidified, the first had risen into the sky, forming a towering structure resembling a radiant pagoda.
Spanning hundreds of thousands of feet, the luminous array cast a dazzling glow, enveloping the region in divine brilliance.
Under the oppressive might of the array, the previously rampant beasts in the area trembled and scattered, their arrogance replaced by fear.
The glow illuminated every crevice, from underground to the furthest reaches of the sky, even penetrating deep into the fragmented void. Within its scope, nothing could hide.
Any intruder foolish enough to enter its range would face swift detection and relentless spiritual energy assaults.
Once the defensive array was complete, Xiao Ze turned his attention back to the ruins of the Ancient Heavenly Palace.
Although a few spatial fragments lingered in the depths, the entrance to the palace was now fully restored, allowing for a safe passage.
Xiao Ze planned to send in the Saint Flame Legion for the initial exploration.
Thanks to the Chaotic Divine Emperor, the Saint Flame Legion had expanded to the maximum number required for the Celestial Star Chart: 365 commanders representing the main stars and 36,500 members serving as their auxiliary stars.
When mobilized at full capacity, the Saint Flame Legion could generate a staggering 69 million battle patterns, a number sufficient to rival the might of a late stage Celestial Sovereign.
If Xiao Ze managed to push this number past 70 million battle patterns, he would even stand a chance against a Sacred Sovereign, though such a leap was no small feat.
The closer the battle patterns approached 70 million, the slower the progress became. Ultimately, Xiao Ze's ability to harness the full power of the Saint Flame Legion was limited by his own spiritual strength.
Although the Supreme Saint Flame Visualization Technique complemented him perfectly, his relatively short training period meant his spiritual strength had not yet reached its peak.
Until it did, he could only rely on steady cultivation to gradually enhance his control over the legion's battle intent.
However, to explore the Ancient Heavenly Palace, Xiao Ze didn't need the legion's full strength. Each Saint Flame member could generate 2,000 battle patterns on their own, sufficient to ensure survival.
After some consideration, Xiao Ze decided to dispatch 20,000 soldiers into the ruins.
Each squad of 100 soldiers would collectively generate 200,000 battle patterns, a force capable of overwhelming most Nine Rank Supremes. With the addition of their specialized attack, Solar Annihilation Ray, these squads could handle almost any threat below the Earthly Sovereign level.
Raising his palm, Xiao Ze activated the now stable void in front of the Ancient Heavenly Palace. The air rippled like water as a glowing portal appeared, leading directly into the palace.
Though the fragmented space had been mended, the palace itself remained fragile. Centuries adrift in the chaotic void had worn it down, leaving it vulnerable to the ravages of time. Repairing the palace fully would require significant effort.
Xiao Ze chose instead to focus on creating a safe path for the Saint Flame Legion's entry.
Waving his sleeve, the Celestial Star Chart on his body radiated countless golden streams of light. These streams materialized into streaks of flame, darting into the portal in rapid succession.
Unlike the Earthly Sovereigns who had once struggled to stabilize a single passageway, Xiao Ze's power as a Heavenly Sovereign allowed him to effortlessly create a portal capable of sustaining the simultaneous entry of tens of thousands of soldiers.
The gulf between Earthly and Heavenly Sovereigns was as vast as the difference between a firefly and the full moon.
"Once I begin directing the Saint Flame Legion inside, I won't be able to monitor this area," Xiao Ze told Mandala. "If anyone dares breach the Ninefold Luminous Array, notify me immediately."
Mandala glanced at the towering defensive array, its brilliance radiating an aura of unassailable power. She doubted anyone short of a Heavenly Sovereign would dare challenge it.
Still, she nodded. "Understood. Caution is always wise."
"By the way, do you know where your main body is located within the palace?" Xiao Ze asked.
Mandala frowned. "The palace's structure has changed significantly over the millennia. Back then, I hid in the First Hall Master's estate after being ambushed by Lu Heng. But I'm not certain where that estate is now."
Xiao Ze pondered this for a moment before offering a solution.
"Then give me your hand. I'll use our connection to trace the location of your Mandala Flower within the palace."
Mandala didn't hesitate. Extending her small hand, she allowed Xiao Ze to take it.
The simple gesture carried no embarrassment after all, Xiao Ze had once saved her by inscribing fiery runes across her entire body to suppress a curse.
Xiao Ze sat cross legged in midair, one hand holding Mandala's as he closed his eyes in concentration.
Controlling 20,000 soldiers within the fragmented palace required splitting his attention across thousands of viewpoints. Even with his immense spiritual strength, it demanded an extraordinary degree of focus.
Through the eyes of the Saint Flame Legion, Xiao Ze began to explore the mysteries of the Ancient Heavenly Palace.
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