Spirit Realm

The Celestial Sealing Demon Diagram was just the first spirit diagram Qin Lie had learned. This diagram was simply the beginning.

While Luo Zhichang, Fang Qi, and Jiang Hao were still drowning amidst great shock and joy, fifteen days later, Qin Lie had dumped yet another spirit tablet onto the trio. “Please look through and check, is this the Nine Winding River Diagram?”

Luo Zhichang trembled and grabbed the spirit tablet lightly. After going through it for a few seconds, he shook greatly and cried out, “Yes! This is the Nine Winding River Diagram!”

Fang Qi and Jiao Hao were equally shocked.

Qin Lie nodded indifferently and retracted his gaze from the spirit pattern pillar. With that, he looked towards the third pillar.

Twenty days later, beside a mountain heap of scrapped spirit tablets and shattered jade stones, Qin Lie threw out yet another spirit tablet with bird patterns on its surface. “Check out this one.”

“Soaring Sky Birds Diagram! It’s the Soaring Sky Birds Diagram!” Luo Zhichang was mad with joy as if he had just received a wonderful treasure.

Seventeen days later, Qin Lie threw out yet another spirit tablet. “Check out this one as well.”

“Radiant Galaxy Diagram! It’s the Radiant Galaxy Diagram!” Luo Zhichang trembled all over.

……

Today Armament Sect’s Sect Master Ying Xingran had come to the plaza as well.

“Masters, how is Qin Bing’s progress?” Ying Xingran’s expression was tired. His face was riddle with exhaustion, but his eyes were filled with expectations.

“Have a look yourself.” Luo Zhichang stroked his white beard, chuckled, and threw seven spirit tablets over to him.

After freezing for a moment, Ying Xingran accepted the seven spirit tablets and focused his attention on examining their internal magics.

“Celestial Sealing Demon Diagram!”

”Nine Winding River Diagram!”

“Soaring Sky Birds Diagram!”

“Radiant Galaxy Diagram!”

“Hundred Flowers Chainmail Diagram!”

“Ancient Wood Resurrection Diagram!”

“Falling Mansion Diagram!”

Every time he perceived the workings of a spirit tablet Ying Xingran would cry out. His expression grew impossibly excited, and the exhaustion from before was completely swept away.

“Were these all inscribed by him?” Ying Xingran confirmed one final time.

Luo Zhichang nodded smilingly and gave his affirmation, “They are all inscribed by him!”

Ying Xingran sucked in a deep breath with a strange light shining from his eyes. “For him, it will be worth it even if we lose more people!”

The moment he said those words, Luo Zhichang’s expression turned heavy as he finally pulled the conversation to the situation as of late. “How is it?”

Fang Qi and Jiang Hao’s expressions were also serious as they pulled away their gazes from Qin Lie and looked deeply at Ying Xingran.

“It’s not optimistic.”

Ying Xingran’s expression was dark, “Recently, the spirit artifacts cargos that we’ve sent to all Armament Pavilions have been intercepted by Dark Shadow Tower. We have lost thirty six men and lost seven Profound Grade One spirit artifacts, fifteen Common Grade Seven spirit artifacts, thirty five…”

He outlined Armament Sect’s losses as of late in detail.

The three great reverends’ eyes had all turned cold.

“Many foreign delegates who come in and out of Armament City have also been attacked. Dark Shadow Tower’s men should’ve arrived outside the city already,” Ying Xingran added.

“It’s best if we don’t venture outside for the moment,” Luo Zhichang said solemnly.

“Tell the inner and outer sect disciples not to go outside and look for spirit materials for now. Do not send spirit artifacts to the Armament Pavilions either. Also, have Lang Xie prepare and look out for as many Dark Shadow Tower bases outside the city as possible and destroy them first, so we can force Dark Shadow Tower to keep sending people over,” Fang Qi said.

“It will definitely not be easy for us to attack Dark Shadow Tower’s headquarters. We can only force them to come to us,” Jiang Hao interrupted.

“That is also Lang Xie’s opinion,” Ying Xingran nodded.

“Dark Shadow Tower is good at killing people in all sorts of situations, and they are very good at using complex terrains. Their headquarters is even more heavily guarded and have death traps and obstacles setup everywhere. To attack them will only do more harm than good.” He continued, “Lang Xie also wants Dark Shadow Tower’s tower lord to attack us. Let them gather their men and lose them continuously so we can slowly attract their attention of their higher-ups.”

“Dark Tower has also moved?” Luo Zhichang asked.

“Yes,” Ying Xingran answered.

“Di Shijiu is even more difficult than Liang Yangzu. We will have to be more careful if he has joined in as well.” Fang Qi’s expression was heavy.

“As long as Qin Bing is fine, tens of years later, Armament Sect’s structure will definitely be changed!” Ying Xingran exclaimed resolutely while touching the seven spirit tablets in his hands. “Even if every great force has joined their powers to attack Armament City, it will be worth investing all our wealth and manpower on him, let alone just Dark Shadow Tower!”

“Don’t worry, Dark Shadow Tower will definitely not fight us to the death.” Luo Zhichang laughed coldly, “It’s not like his son was the one who died. He will definitely not throw everything away and go crazy and commit everything. Even Liang Yangzu would not sacrifice Shadow Tower just for his one son.”

“The reason they wanted revenge was for us to give in. They want to force us to give a justification for Liang Shaoyang’s death.” Ying Xingran nodded, “I know what they want.”

“Take a look at this spirit tablet.” It was at this moment when Qin Lie opened his mouth from beneath another spirit pattern pillar and flung over a spirit tablet.

Ying Xingran extended a hand out to grab it and focused his mind to sense before yelling, “Six Cycle Bewitching Diagram!”

Luo Zhichang and the three great reverends were moved once more.

This time the inscription of the spirit diagram only took six days. This meant that Qin Lie’s understanding of the spirit diagrams inside the spirit pattern pillar was getting faster and faster.

This also meant that Qin Lie’s recognition of spirit diagrams was growing deeper as well. He should have digested all the experiences from before completely.

“Good job!” Luo Zhichang yelled loudly.

Qin Lie stood up and said towards Jiang Hao while shaking his neck and moving his limbs, “I want something to eat. Something that recovers stamina, spirit energy, and soul consciousness. I need them all.”

“I’ll arrange someone to prepare them immediately.” Jiang Hao yelled out, “Cheng Ping!”

Not far away, Cheng Ping answered once, “I’ll get it done right now!”

Qin Lie calmed down his mind and stood at the plaza looking at the surroundings. He stared at the scenery of Flame Volcano to relax his mind, eyes, and tightened nerves.

A figure suddenly entered his vision from far away. It was a group of outer sect foreign delegates that were casually dressed.

Those foreign delegates had walked out of Tong Jihua’s place and were just heading outside through Armament Sect’s entrance.

Many of them had joyful looks as if they had achieved some kind of objective. There were also those who had dim looks as if their hopes had been dashed.

Among them Qin Lie saw a familiar figure—it was Han Qingrui.

“Brother Han, stop being dejected. You were just unlucky this time. Maybe you’ll get lucky in the future.” A thin and tall martial practitioner beside Han Qingrui consoled him, not-so-wholeheartedly, barely holding back the joy in his eyes.

Han Qingrui bitterly laughed and shook his head. “I’m afraid I don’t have the time to wait for the future.”

The main duty of Armament Sect’s foreign delegates was to help Armament Sect transport spirit artifacts to each Armament Pavilion. They were to help Armament Sect to seek out specific spirit materials, head to various large forces to purchase rare spirit stones and metals, patrol inside and outside the city to relieve some of the burden from Blood Spear, or perform some jobs for inner sect disciples such as running errands and so on.

The status of an outer sect foreign delegate could not be compared even to an outer sect disciple. They had to listen to an outer sect elder’s arrangements and dispatches.

After leaving Nebula Pavilion, Han Qingrui and Kang Hui had arrived at Armament Sect to work as their foreign delegates under Pan Jueming’s recommendation.

Previously, they had been responsible in assisting Armament Sect with escorting some special spirit materials between the surrounding great forces and run some errands and odd jobs.

They had hoped to enter Armament City and find a place to stay inside the city, and also had hoped that they would gain Tong Jihua’s favor.

This wish had grown more urgent after Armament Sect and Dark Shadow Tower had soured their relationship.

This was because many outer sect foreign delegates that were operating outside the city had gradually returned with news of their demise in the wild. Everyone knew that it was Dark Shadow Tower who killed them, and they knew that Dark Shadow Tower’s assassins were powerful.

Blood Spear had not mobilized yet. These Dark Shadow Tower assassins were everywhere outside the city, and this caused the outer sect foreign delegates to be terrified and grow increasingly anxious.

Just now, Tong Jihua had summoned these outer sect foreign delegates to have part of them retreat into the city. They would no longer have to perform duties outside.

There were also a portion who would continue to operate outside the city as bait so they could lure Dark Shadow Tower’s martial practitioners to attempt to kill them in cooperation with Blood Spear martial practitioners to uncover the bases outside Dark Shadow Tower.

Han Qingrui was unlucky, and he would go out of the city to perform an additional duty as bait.

Kang Hui, Han Feng, and Kang Zhi, plus those subordinates that had left Nebula Pavilion with them would join him to face this danger together.

Han Qingrui was very anxious. This was because he knew that this trip would be extremely dangerous. He had a bad feeling about it.

That was why he looked terrible. No matter how the people around him consoled him, the worry on his face would not fade.

“Elder Cheng, please come over for a second,” Qin Lie suddenly beckoned.

Cheng Ping was just about to order some food for Qin Lie when he heard him and froze. He hadn’t gotten very far yet, so he looked to Ying Xingran for instructions.

“If he asks for you, then go!” Ying Xingran said impatiently.

Therefore, Cheng Ping arrived beside Qin Lie and smiled, “What business do you have looking for me?”

“What’s going on over there?” Qin Lie pointed at the outer sect foreign delegates heading outside.

Cheng Ping knew about this matter very well, so when he heard his question, he began to explain to Qin Lie the circumstances they currently faced in detail. He told him that Tong Jihua had just arranged those people’s future.

Qin Lie listened seriously, and after Cheng Ping had finished, he suddenly pointed at Han Qingrui and said, “I do not wish for that person wearing gray clothes with worry all over his face and the people around him to come into harm. I want him to stay alive.”

“You know him?” Cheng Ping asked surprised.

Qin Lie stayed quiet.

Cheng Ping glanced at him once and did not ask any further. He nodded and said, “A small matter.” He then retreated.

Not long after, Cheng Ping had caught up with the departing group of foreign delegates and coughed in front of the crowd.

All the outer sect foreign delegates including Han Qingrui bowed respectfully the moment he appeared and said in unison, “Elder Cheng.”

Cheng Ping nodded and pointed at Han Qingrui amidst the crowd, “What is your name?”

“Han Qingrui.”

“Alright. Han Qingrui, from now on, your current mission will be made invalid. You will bring your men over tomorrow morning. I have a task to gather information inside the city to pass onto you. Oh, also, I will arrange a new place for you to stay. If you guys were staying outside the city, then you will move inside the city in the future,” Cheng Ping said casually.

Han Qingrui’s expression quaked once as a disbelieving light shone out of his eyes. He said excitedly, “Elder Cheng, why me?”

Everyone knew the meaning behind his words.

They all knew that with Cheng Ping’s words, Han Qingrui and the people around him would immediately be freed from the fate of becoming bait and would be able to live safely inside the city.

—This was the treatment that every foreign delegate who was responsible as bait wanted at the moment.

“What kind of luck has befallen Old Han?” Every outer sect foreign delegate was in doubt.

“There is a benefactor who wishes to protect you, which is why it’ll be hard even if you want to die,” Cheng Ping smiled.

“Benefactor. Which benefactor?” Han Qingrui cried out softly as incredible color began to appear on his face. It was the color of joy of a man who had just escaped danger.

“The person whose words carry the most weight in Armament Sect at the moment.” Cheng Ping gazed over these outer sect foreign delegates and looked in the direction of the plaza far away before saying, “His words carry even more weight than the sect master’s own words right now. Who do you think your benefactor is?”