Ninth In the World

No one knew who had created the Immortal Ascension Array, nor did anyone know how long the array had existed for.

Everyone knew where the Immortal Ascension Array was located, but usually, no one visited this area. There was an indistinct Defense Array enclosing the several-miles-long perimeter of the Immortal Ascension Array.

Even Di Jiu’s Spiritual Force was unable to permeate the array. The Defense Array had seen King Arrays that surpassed level nine. Di Jiu took one look at the Defense Array and realized that the level of this array had completely surpassed ordinary Dharma Arrays.

“There’s no way that someone who does not possess an Immortal Ascension Jade Card could enter this place. I will have to bid you farewell here,” said Di Jiu as he stood outside the Defense Array enveloping the Immortal Ascension Array.

Xian Ze nodded his head. “I will head to the Immortal World first to seek someone out and explain the Night Star Continent’s situation to the experts who came from the continent. You possess a jade card as well. We can meet up whenever you come to the Immortal World.”

Xian Ze’s priority was to find Immortal World experts as soon as possible and report about the tattered state of the Night Star Continent.

Di Jiu expressed his understanding. He still possessed two Plane Split Talismans, one of which he had intended to give to Han Qingyi. However, Han Qingyi had failed to fulfill her promise, so he no longer intended to do so.

After sending Xian Ze off, the first place he wanted to visit was the Sky Screen.

He had to find Little Tree, which had been left behind in the Sky Screen.

Xian Ze took out the golden jade card. Upon making contact with the mist enveloping the Defense Array, a golden passageway appeared in front of the two men. Di Jiu’s Spiritual Force could only vaguely capture the presence of a massive, majestic-looking, six-sided, diamond-shaped array foundation within the passageway. Di Jiu was certain that this type of array foundation was one that he did not possess the ability to create or repair.

“Brother Di, let’s meet again in the Immortal World,” said Xian Ze, who was about to step into the golden passageway.

“Hold on...” Di Jiu swiftly grabbed hold of Xian Ze.

Xian Ze looked at Di Jiu in confusion. “Yes?”

“Put your Immortal Ascension Jade Card away,” said Di Jiu solemnly.

Xian Ze trusted Di Jiu, so he put away the golden Immortal Ascension Jade Card and asked in confusion, “What did you discover?”

Di Jiu said, “There’s something wrong with this Immortal Ascension Array.”

Xian Ze chuckled. “Di Jiu, you’re overthinking things. This Immortal Ascension Array of the True Dominion has existed for a very long time. Besides, it is true that people have teleported to the Immortal World by using this array. Therefore, there should not be a problem with it.”

Di Jiu waved his hand. “I am not saying that there’s an issue with the Immortal Ascension Array, but that the problem lies within the array. Let’s talk about this matter when we head back.”

He had clearly sensed a familiar aura coming from within the Immortal Ascension Array when Xian Ze had used the Immortal Ascension Array to open its Defense Array.

This aura was the same one that had belonged to the claw that had swiped at him in the Evil Beast Valley a while back. Considering how powerful his Spiritual Force was, he believed that his gut feeling was right.

“Alright, I’ll do as you say.” Xian Ze believed in Di Jiu.

Another group of people walked over just as the two men were about to leave.

The person leading the way was someone Di Jiu knew. It was Bright Protectorate Lord Bai Cangxing. Zhuo Changgeng was walking beside him. Their company included Interstellar Protectorate Protectorate Lord Bai Hong, Skygold Protectorate Lord Huan Changzhu, Peaceful Farmers’ Protectorate Lord An, Han Wushui form the Falling Ice Mountain, Ji Gui from the Ji Family, and Yue Li from the Yue Family.

Almost all the experts of the True Dominion were present. Hu Burang and Zhuo Wenshu were both walking behind them.

“Ha ha... Sect Master Di, if we had known, we could have come here together!” Bai Cangxing greeted Di Jiu from afar.

Huan Changzhu and company all came over to greet Di Jiu, who greeted them back.

Zhuo Changgeng said, “Sect Master Di, in the past, I had my reservations about you, because I was too narrow-minded. Please do not take it to heart.”

Di Jiu waved his hand. “The past is in the past. My principle is not to attack unless I’m attacked.”

“Are Sect Master Di and Daoist Xi both heading to the Immortal World together? We happen to be here to send Daoist Zhuo and Daoist Hu Burang off.” An Lingzhou interjected hastily as he steered the conversation away from the growing awkwardness in the atmosphere.

Hu Burang’s cultivation level was slightly weak, but no one dared to treat him disrespectfully, as he was about to head to the Immortal World.

Furthermore, following the appearance of an expert like Di Jiu from the Small Central World, no one would dare snatch his Immortal Ascension Jade Card.

Hu Burang, who was walking behind the group, seemed to be aware that he had benefited from Di Jiu’s glory, so he actively cupped his fists before Di Jiu. He might be powerful, but he was only a mere True Form Realm cultivator.

As he cupped his fists, Di Jiu said, “Daoists, Brother Xi has just opened the passageway leading into the Immortal Ascension Array. However, I did not allow him to enter the Immortal Ascension Array to head over to the Immortal World. Instead, I stopped him.”

Everyone looked at Di Jiu in surprise when they heard that he had not allowed Xian Ze to go to the Immortal World despite coming here.

With a lift of his hand, Di Jiu threw out several hundreds of array flags, creating a noise isolation restriction that enclosed everyone.

Bai Cangxing knew that Di Jiu was trying to set up a noise isolation restriction. Hence, he did nothing. However, Di Jiu’s array formation skills astonished him. What Di Jiu had done just now to set up a level-nine noise isolation restriction demanded the caster to possess top-notch array formation skills, as well as top-notch Spiritual Force.

“Everyone, there’s something wrong with this Immortal Ascension Array...”

Before Di Jiu could complete his sentence, Bai Hong sneered and said, “The Immortal Ascension Array is activated once in 100 years, and many experts have used it to teleport to the Immortal World. How come that the array is suddenly problematic when it is your turn to use it?”

Bai Cangxing, who knew that Di Jiu disliked Bai Hong, hastily said, “Sect Master Di, he’s right. There should not be any problems with the array.”

Di Jiu said solemnly, “The problem does not lie in the Immortal Ascension Array. The aura of the Immortal Ascension Array is vast and majestic, so it should be used to teleport to the Immortal World without a doubt. However, I sensed a strange aura coming from within the array. This very powerful aura originates from the Evil Beast Valley. I worry that the experts who are now using the Teleportation Array will be teleported to the Evil Beast Valley instead of the Immortal World...”

Bai Cangxing’s expression turned serious when he heard Di Jiu mention the Evil Beast Valley. Everyone else reacted the same way.

Only four slots had been given this time for using the Teleportation Array. However, nearly 20 slots had been given out in the past few times the Teleportation Array had been activated. Nearly all the fractions within the True Dominion had sent their experts to enter the Immortal Ascension Array. If there had been truly a problem with the array, something would have happened to the experts who had used the Immortal Ascension Array’s function previously.

“How did you know that?” asked An Lingzhou with a trembling voice. A few generations of experts from the An Family had used the Teleportation Array.

Di Jiu said slowly, articulating each word with emphasis, “I entered the most inner region of the Evil Beast Valley during the test trial. There, I saw a Life Transformation Array. A gigantic Quintessential Essence hand sealprint came from that array and grabbed hold of me. If it hadn’t been for the fact that I had some trump cards, I would have died within that Life Transformation Array. Just now, I sensed the aura of that Quintessential Essence hand sealprint coming from within the Immortal Ascension Array.”

Everyone looked at each other. An expert like Di Jiu would not be wrong when it came to sensing auras. If Di Jiu was right, this meant that there was really something wrong with this Immortal Ascension Array.

Bai Cangxing was the first to say irritatedly, “Daoist Di, let us head back to the Immortal Ascension City and discuss this further.”

No one objected to this decision. If there was truly something wrong with the Immortal Ascension Array, they would not be the only ones affected. This also involved the experts who had used and entered the Immortal Ascension Array in the past.

...

Two hours later, the City Lord Manor in the Immortal Ascension City was nearly fully occupied by experts.

Originally, Di Jiu had not intended to visit Xigu Boyang at the City Lord Manor. However, he had unexpectedly arrived there on the same day.

When everyone had settled in, An Lingzhou stood up and said, “We need to take a trip to the Evil Beast Valley. The Life Transformation Array within it is definitely one that no one would be able to deal with alone. Protectorate Lord Bai Cangxing, Sect Master Di, Protectorate Lord Bai Hong and Protectorate Lord Huan, the four of you are the strongest out of everyone here. When we enter the valley, the four of you will be the main attacking force, while the rest of us will support you. If so many of us work together, we should be able to deal with the existence residing in the Life Transformation Array easily.”

Bai Cangxing nodded his head as he looked at Di Jiu and asked, “I also think that this is the only solution we have. Sect Master Di, what do you think?”

To be honest, everyone knew that the Life Transformation Array within the Evil Beast Valley had to be destroyed first before anyone could use the Immortal Ascension Array.

Di Jiu stood up, cupped his fists and said, “I’ve no issues with this. However, I would like to ask for some more time. My cultivation level is still too weak. Hence, I would like to cultivate for a period of time first. We could head to the Evil Beast Valley once my strength grows stronger.”

The reason he said this was because he was not optimistic that everyone would successfully deal with the expert residing within the Life Transformation Array.

He had seen that expert, whose strength far surpassed Mei Bashan’s. They might have an advantage number-wise, but it was practically useless. The only ones who would be of any use during this attack would be Di Jiu and Bai Cangxing. If that bastard Bai Hong plotted against him at the time, he could die in the Evil Beast Valley.

One should refrain from hurting others, yet guard oneself against anyone trying to hurt them. Di Jiu needed to take some precautions against Bai Hong.

“How long does Sect Master Di intend to wait before we take action?” asked Huan Changzhu.

Di Jiu answered, “Our Immortal Ascension Jade Cards have a time limit of one year. Let’s set the date eight months from now. I need to search for a place to seclude myself during these eight months.”

Saying that he would be going into seclusion was a cover that would allow him to head to the Sky Screen.