The next day, everyone gathered in the main hall of the sect leader.
Fairy Fengqing did not sit in the sect leader's seat this time, standing only with a cold expression. Feng Ning still appeared to turn a deaf ear, showing no interest in the matters at hand. Mo Tiange secretly smiled bitterly; with these two ladies present, this matter seemed to have become a task for just the two of them.
Seeing everyone assembled, Qin Xi spoke up: "Everyone knows why we are here. Regarding the demon beast incident, the Immortal Alliance has entrusted its full handling to us, and Bixuan Pavilion is also to follow orders."
Tang Shen stepped forward and bowed: "The Immortal Alliance has come to relieve Bixuan Pavilion's siege; Bixuan Pavilion will obey all commands."
Qin Xi nodded, looking at the several elders of Bixuan Pavilion: "Good. Since Bixuan Pavilion has no objections, the Immortal Alliance will temporarily take over the Mountain-Protecting Great Array next. We hope the elders will understand."
With a Nascent Soul senior being so polite, the elders repeatedly expressed that they dared not object.
Qin Xi continued: "In the past few days, Fairy Fengqing's arrangements were quite proper. Now that we have sufficient manpower, I will only make slight modifications. Kuang Zhu."
Kuang Zhu stepped forward in response: "Disciple present."
"Select suitable disciples to take full responsibility for rescuing and treating the wounded."
"Yes."
After Kuang Zhu retreated, Qin Xi continued: "Zhi Fei."
Bai Yanfei stepped forward, lowering his head in response: "Disciple present."
"Organize all disciples, including those from Bixuan Pavilion, into squads of ten."
"Yes."
"..."
These measures were the result of his discussion with Mo Tiange last night. They had also invited Feng Ning to discuss, but she excused herself, saying she didn't understand and would leave it to them to decide.
Since Feng Ning declined, they didn't stand on ceremony either. Qin Xi had the highest cultivation among them, so he would take responsibility for this matter; if any mistakes occurred, they would be his responsibility.
All the Core Formation cultivators received their orders and departed. Only the two of them, Feng Ning, Fairy Fengqing, Tang Shen, and Ying Jinyi remained in the main hall.
Fairy Fengqing spoke first: "Since Dao Lord Shoujing has already handled matters, I shall return to the Tiandao Sect."
"Since the Fairy insists on leaving, we will not detain you," Qin Xi said indifferently.
"..." Fairy Fengqing had originally wanted to say something but was blocked by his words. She had only said this one sentence; how could that be called insisting? This was clearly wishing for her to leave.
Fairy Fengqing's expression darkened, a hint of anger in her voice: "Then I bid farewell." With a flick of her sleeve, she walked out.
Seeing this, Ying Jinyi hurriedly chased after her: "Senior Fengqing—"
The two left the main hall, their voices fading into the distance.
"Senior Fengqing, the teleportation formation is ready. Allow me to escort you."
Fairy Fengqing said coldly: "Unnecessary."
Ying Jinyi was surprised: "Senior?"
Not long after, Ying Jinyi returned, her face full of confusion. She truly couldn't understand why Fairy Fengqing wouldn't use the teleportation formation. After all, even for a Nascent Soul cultivator, crossing Tianmo Mountain by personal power was not easy.
The others didn't dwell on this matter. Mo Tiange took the lead: "I'll go take a look at the Mountain-Protecting Great Array first. If possible, I'll make some improvements." The latter part of her sentence was directed at Tang Shen, as she was only a guest elder of Bixuan Pavilion; modifying the Mountain-Protecting Great Array required the consent of Tang Shen, the chief elder.
However, Tang Shen completely missed her implication and merely looked at Mo Tiange, his face slightly flushed as he smiled: "We trouble Elder Ye."
Mo Tiange nodded to everyone and left alone.
She had visited Bixuan Pavilion's Mountain-Protecting Great Array before. Familiar with the route, she flew to an arrow tower and descended.
Seeing her, the Foundation Establishment disciples guarding the arrow tower were startled.
"Senior, you..." They had never seen her before.
Mo Tiange didn't speak, retrieving a token from her Qiankun Ring and flashing it before them.
The two Foundation Establishment disciples were astonished: "Guest Elder?"
What she presented was precisely Bixuan Pavilion's guest elder token. Mo Tiange nodded: "Correct. I am temporarily taking over the array here."
The two disciples quickly stepped aside, solemnly saying: Not to mention the guest elder token in her hand, just her cultivation level alone was unfathomable to them—how could they dare to obstruct?
Mo Tiange entered. The disciples on duty promptly made way. They had overheard her conversation with the gatekeepers.
She had seen Bixuan Pavilion's Mountain-Protecting Great Array long ago. With a rough glance now, she firmly memorized the key points of this array.
This array was laid down by Mo Yaoqing. Mo Yaoqing could be called a top-tier array master; this Mountain-Protecting Great Array was no worse than those of medium-sized sects in Kunwu, capable of annihilating a few ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators with ease. Precisely because of this, the demon cultivators of the East Sea had never been able to breach it.
Mo Tiange's current attainments in array formations were on par with Mo Yaoqing's from back then. Mo Tiange's advantage was that over five thousand years, array formations had continuously developed; her knowledge of arrays was inevitably more advanced than Mo Yaoqing's. Moreover, she had witnessed far more arrays than Mo Yaoqing, such as the many renowned great arrays listed in the Profound Mechanism Array Tome and the Xuanqing Sect's Mountain-Protecting Great Array, the Qiankun Life-Severing Array.
After brief consideration, Mo Tiange decided to modify Bixuan Pavilion's Mountain-Protecting Great Array into the Heaven-Earth Inversion Array.
The Heaven-Earth Inversion Array was one of the ten great vicious arrays listed in the Profound Mechanism Array Tome. Trapped within it, heaven and earth were inverted, water and fire gained sentience; without some understanding of arrays, it was difficult to find a way out. Most importantly, Bixuan Pavilion's Mountain-Protecting Great Array and the Heaven-Earth Inversion Array employed very similar array-laying techniques, making the modification not difficult.
Watching Mo Tiange take out one rare material after another from her Qiankun Ring, the eyes of the disciples on duty in the arrow tower nearly popped out. Those interested in array formations were especially wide-eyed. Modifying a Mountain-Protecting Great Array was not something an ordinary array master could do; this was an excellent learning opportunity.
After spending half a day, Mo Tiange finally embedded the last high-grade spirit stone. With a "hum," the array diagram on the ground flashed with light and began to operate.
Mo Tiange summoned the lead disciple on duty and handed over a jade slip: "How to control it—follow this jade slip."
The guarding disciple respectfully accepted the jade slip.
Mo Tiange nodded, waved her sleeve, transformed into a white light, and flew out from the arrow tower.
Circling around Bixuan Pavilion's mountain gate once, confirming that this Heaven-Earth Inversion Array was intact, Mo Tiange returned to the main hall.
At this time, only Qin Xi remained in the main hall. Seeing her return, he said: "Back? Then let's go too."
Mo Tiange nodded. The two left the main hall and headed toward the mountain gate.
Along the way, on the plaza, squads of Foundation Establishment cultivators stood in formation. Bai Yanfei was teaching them a cooperative battle formation. Seeing them come out, he stopped speaking and bowed from afar.
After leaving the mountain gate and flying toward the East Sea, Mo Tiange couldn't help but ask: "What's going on with Bai Yanfei?"
"What do you mean?"
"Since when has he been so... so low-key?" From the departure at Xuanqing Sect until now, he hadn't uttered a single unnecessary word along the journey, nor displayed his former arrogance. He just silently attended to his own tasks, and moreover, treated them with utmost respect. However one thought about it, it wasn't normal.
Qin Xi curled the corner of his mouth, smiling at her: "It's because of you."
"Because of me?" Mo Tiange was astonished. "Could it be? Was he lectured so severely by Senior Brother Zhenyang back then?" If he had restrained himself somewhat, that wouldn't be strange, but now he was completely the opposite of before. Could a person change to this extent?
"Of course not. Senior Brother Zhenyang only placed him under confinement; how could that change him to this degree?"
"Then what's the reason?"
Qin Xi said: "After you formed your Core, he began to change somewhat. When you returned after forming your Nascent Soul, that truly stimulated him."
"So that's how it is..." Mo Tiange understood. Bai Yanfei had exceptional aptitude, thus he thought highly of himself. During Foundation Establishment, their difference wasn't great, so he didn't feel much. Falling behind during Core Formation wasn't a big deal either; he would form his Core sooner or later. It wasn't until Nascent Soul that Bai Yanfei truly felt despair.
Mo Tiange had already formed her Nascent Soul, while he was only at mid-stage Core Formation. Even if he encountered no bottlenecks from now on and smoothly formed his Nascent Soul, it would take at least seventy or eighty years. By then, she would likely be at mid-stage Nascent Soul. Moreover, forming a Nascent Soul wasn't like forming a Core; even with his single spirit root, he might struggle to succeed for a long time.
In reality, Bai Yanfei's confidence in forming his Nascent Soul had completely vanished along this journey. He even began to doubt whether he was suited for immortal cultivation at all.
"Senior Brother Zhenyang is going to have a headache," Qin Xi sighed.
Following the route given by Fairy Fengqing, the two traveled several thousand li. In the distance, they saw a large island with a small city built of stone—most likely the demon city mentioned by Fairy Fengqing.
Just as Mo Tiange was about to use a concealment technique, she saw Qin Xi take out a Peach Branch from his Qiankun Ring.
"Huh?" She recognized this Peach Branch; she had seen him use it when escaping from Yunwu Sect.
Qin Xi silently recited an incantation. A mist slowly rose from the Peach Branch until it enveloped the two of them. Only then did Qin Xi stop and put away the Peach Branch.
"This is the main body of a ten-thousand-year peach spirit that has gained sentience, innately possessing illusionary abilities. After forming my Nascent Soul, I explored this usage. As long as the mist doesn't disperse, others' spiritual sense will have difficulty detecting us."
Mo Tiange was curious: "Won't it wither?" On the Peach Branch, green leaves seemed freshly sprouted, peach buds still holding dew. One wouldn't doubt it had just been plucked from a peach tree.
Qin Xi smiled: "This peach tree has become a spirit; it absorbs spiritual energy on its own, no soil needed." After a pause, he said, "Let's go."
Mo Tiange nodded. Under the cover of the peach branch mist, the two flew toward the demon city.
When they were still two or three li from the demon city, the two stopped again. This distance was sufficient for them to investigate; any closer, and they could be seen with the naked eye.
This demon city was quite crude. However, the entire city was covered with watchtowers, each without exception guarded by over a dozen demon beasts. The city-protecting array was also very sophisticated.
Mo Tiange said: "This array is difficult to breach."
Qin Xi's gaze swept over, quickly estimating the number of demon cultivators: "Fairy Fengqing was correct. There are six eighth-rank demon cultivators in the demon city, and roughly five to six thousand demon beasts."
"So many!" Mo Tiange was shocked. Bixuan Pavilion only had two thousand disciples, most of whom were at Qi Refining stage. Yet the demon beasts in this city were at least second rank.
Qin Xi carefully cross-checked the map of the demon city, memorized the surrounding situation, and then said: "Let's go back. We'll think of a way slowly."
Seeing the mist about to dissipate, the two transformed into escaping lights and vanished into the horizon.