Beside the Supreme Purity Hall, in the document room, lights burned brightly. Eldest Senior Brother Mu Qingfeng hadn't retired yet and was still handling sect affairs accumulated during the day, while his mind also circled around some post-standoff arrangements with the Liyang Sect, along with that trace of vague unease. Suddenly, in the night sky outside the window, a dazzling red beam mixed with piercing alarm sounds shot up from the Wonder Workshop's direction, instantly tearing through the rainy night's silence! The talisman brush in Mu Qingfeng's hand suddenly stopped, a drop of thick ink falling onto the spread-out document, rapidly spreading.
He suddenly looked up toward that conspicuous red light, his face instantly becoming incomparably grave! That was the highest alert set by Junior Brother Luo Feng! It would only be activated in life-or-death situations or major incidents! Almost at the same time, a jade talisman at his waist representing Enforcement Hall emergency communication also violently vibrated, transmitting Liu Yun's cold, urgent voice carrying fierce killing intent: "Spiritual bamboo grove!
Xiaoqi is under attack! Powerful enemies!" The two messagesstacked, making Mu Qingfeng's heart feel as if gripped by an invisible hand! Xiaoqi was under attack! In the sect's core area! Powerful enemies! Without any hesitation, without even time to be shocked or enraged, Mu Qingfeng instantly entered the highest state of combat readiness.
He pushed aside the desk before him and moved like lightning to a jade wall inside the document room engraved with a miniature topographical map of the entire Qingxu Temple. This jade wall was precisely one of the auxiliary control cores for Qingxu Temple's protective grand array—the "Zhou Tian Star Ten Thousand Phenomena Array"! Though he couldn't completely control the grand array like Sect Master Xuan Xuan Zhenren, as the eldest senior brother acting in the sect master's stead, he had the authority to locally activate and control parts of the array's functions in emergencies! His hands moved like butterflies through flowers, trailing afterimages as he rapidly pressed several key nodes on the jade wall in succession.
His refined spiritual power poured into the jade wall like a river breaking its banks! Simultaneously, he chanted obscure, complex spell formulas in a steady yet urgent voice, resonating with the gradually lighting runes on the jade wall. "Zhou Tian Star Dou, heed my command!" "Ten Thousand Phenomena Return to Origin, seal heaven and lock earth!" "Mountain as foundation, vein as network, I decree—Spiritual Bamboo City Domain, sever the void!" "Hmmmm—!!!" As his final spell formula fell, the entire jade wall suddenly burst with dazzling starlight! The topographical map representing Qingxu Temple's core area on the jade wall greatly brightened, especially the area marked "Spiritual Bamboo Grove" and its surrounding several-li radius, instantly lighting up with substantial silver light halos!
At the same time, in the sky above Qingxu Temple, the protective grand array barrier that was normally invisible and formless suddenly became clearly visible in the area corresponding to the spiritual bamboo grove! Countless fine silver runes like living fish rapidly circulated and combined in the void, mobilizing the power of the Zhou Tian stars (though obscured by clouds, star power still existed) and earth vein spiritual energy! A visible, thick, condensed hemispherical silver light curtain, centered on the spiritual bamboo grove, crashed down like an inverted giant bowl! Upon the light curtain, stars waxed and waned, runes were born and died, emitting a powerful force that suppressed everything and imprisoned the void!
This wasn't fully activating the protective grand array's attack or defense modes—that would consume too much and easily cause sect-wide panic. This was "local fine control" that Mu Qingfeng performed based on his exquisite understanding of the array and his authority—completely sealing only the attacked spiritual bamboo grove area! The instant the silver light curtain fell— In the spiritual bamboo grove, Phantom Shadow, who was confronting Liu Yun and looking for opportunities, suddenly felt his expression change drastically! He sensed the surrounding space instantly become like solidified amber.
Shadow travel, which had been as natural as a fish in water, became extremely difficult and obscure. The ubiquitous star power and purification runes formed a natural suppression and rejection against practitioners of shadow and deathly stillness powers like him! Even his shadow-merged state became extremely unstable, as if at any moment he might be "squeezed out" from the shadows by the magnificent star power! The other five assassins felt as if they had fallen into a swamp, their movement speed greatly reduced, their spiritual energy circulation sluggish, and their communication with external heaven and earth spiritual energy largely cut off!
The shadow powers they relied on for concealment and attack were severely weakened within the light curtain's range! "Not good! It's Qingxu Temple's protective grand array! Their reaction is too fast!" one assassin transmitted in alarm. "Space is sealed! Escape techniques are ineffective!" "Hall Master!
What do we do?" The assassins who had originally moved as freely as ghosts now seemed like turtles in a jar—still dangerous, but having lost their greatest reliance—the ability to hide and escape! Liu Yun sensed the change in surrounding space and the obvious restriction on her opponents, her heart steadying as she knew the eldest senior brother had made his move. The "Iron Ruler" heavy sword in her hand hummed as she pointed it toward Phantom Shadow's hiding place, coldly shouting: "You scoundrels, your retreat is cut off! Why not surrender!" Tang Xiaoqi also sensed this familiar grand array power, the pressure around him lightening.
The Guardian Sword Array's light stabilized as his Green Lotus origin accelerated within him. The terrifying black sword mark at his temple visibly faded, and the invading yin-cold death energy was rapidly purified and expelled. The poison at his ribs was also contained and cleared. His aura was quickly returning to stability, his eyes growing even colder.
He looked toward the direction of the eldest senior brother beyond the silver light curtain and nodded slightly. Though they hadn't communicated, this tacit understanding and timely support sent a warm current through his heart. Phantom Shadow's expression behind his mask was unspeakably ugly. The plan was completely exposed, retreat was cut off, the target's strength far exceeded estimates and reinforcements had arrived... the situation had instantly taken a sharp turn for the worse!
His gaze coldly swept across Liu Yun who was fully prepared, and Tang Xiaoqi whose aura was rapidly recovering and whose eyes were dangerous. He sensed the unbreakable array imprisonment around him. Must break through! Otherwise, he would truly fall here today! He let out an extremely short, sharp whistle containing a special rhythm!
Hearing this whistle, the other five assassins' eyes simultaneously flashed with madness and deathly stillness. Their auras suddenly became violent and chaotic as they, disregarding the array's suppression, forcibly burned their essence blood and soul power, preparing to launch suicide attacks to create an escape opportunity for Phantom Shadow! A cornered beast still fights, and its momentum is even more fierce!