266: Reversal of the formation!

Somewhere in the Central Plains, a hidden altar deep within the earth's ley lines.

It was dark and lightless here, with only the complex array patterns carved on the altar emitting a faint blood-red glow, illuminating the figure shrouded in a large black robe in the center like a ghost.

The dense scent of blood and resentment had almost solidified, and this place was the true core hub of the Great Blood Refinement Array of Myriad Souls; the heavenly secrets were completely shielded, making it impossible for the outside world to glimpse even a sliver.

The High Priest's true body stood silently in the center of the altar, holding a white bone scepter similar to his avatar's, but with an even more ancient and evil aura.

He raised his head, and beneath his hood, he seemed to be "appreciating" the wails and despair that permeated the entire Great Qian, transmitted through the array, as well as the surging, vast power of blood and souls converging towards him.

His body seemed to tremble with excitement.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

The altar vibrated violently, blood-red light shot into the sky, and massive energy surged and flowed.

The High Priest felt an unprecedented expansion of power within him; the door to the profound realm of the Transcendent Grade seemed to be slowly opening to him.

However, just as this "grand spectacle" reached its peak, a calm voice abruptly sounded in this enclosed space, breaking the "perfection" of the place.

"Stealing the nation's destiny, slaughtering the common people, acting against the heavens—you will ultimately be consumed by your own fire."

At the edge of the altar, space twisted, and an elderly man in a star-patterned official robe, holding a whisk, with a lean and refined face, quietly appeared.

He was the Chancellor of the Great Qian Imperial Observatory, a true First Grade expert. At this moment, his eyes, which seemed to contain the stars of the cosmos, gazed coldly at the High Priest in the center of the altar.

The High Priest's true body slowly turned his head; a hint of surprise seemed to flash in the shadow beneath his hood, but more prominent was a mocking expression of being in control of everything.

"Junior, you did find this place after all... but alas, it's too late!"

The High Priest's voice was hoarse and full of self-satisfaction, "Having refined the Great Qian's Second Grade Prince, the Great Blood Refinement Array of Myriad Souls has been fully activated; the grand trend is set!"

"Although you possess First Grade cultivation, you are too entangled in worldly affairs, concerned about this nation's destiny, concerned about those countless ants. Your Dao Heart is clouded. How can you contend with this Venerable One, who now gathers the power of an entire nation?"

He spread his arms, as if embracing the entire blood-red altar, and laughed maniacally:

"Once I refine the essence of these mountains and rivers, the soul-blood of the common people, I will be able to take that final step and achieve Transcendent Grade! By then, vast as the heavens and earth may be, I alone will be supreme! This is true transcendence!"

"And you, and everything you protect, will become the cornerstone of my Dao!"

Facing the High Priest's wild boasts and this world-overturning crisis, the Chancellor's expression remained exceptionally calm, as if he had long seen through everything.

He gently waved his whisk and said indifferently, "Transcendence? With such cruel methods, even if you miraculously succeed, you will merely become a slave to power. How can that be called transcendence?"

"The previous dynasty was misled by you, which ultimately led to its downfall and destruction. So much time has passed, and you still remain deluded..."

"As for your great array... do you truly believe no one noticed, no one could restrain it?"

The High Priest's laughter faltered.

The Chancellor continued unhurriedly, "Do you know that when Li Shengyuan went north to suppress the Prince of Yan, it wasn't just to deprive you of a prince who could destabilize the Great Qian's national destiny!"

"By comforting the military and civilians and stabilizing the people's hearts, the destiny of the Northern Region has been consolidated, changing the layout of some of the array foundations you secretly established?"

"What the people of the Northern Region yearn for is no longer your evil god, but peace for their home and nation. Where the hearts of the people lie, there lies the grand trend. Your array already has a 'flaw' here."

"Do you know that my eldest disciple, Chu Chunqiu, has long since taken a strategy to break the array to Jiangnan, to join my fated junior disciple, to seize your destiny and cut off your array's eye in Jiangnan? And at this moment, they have delved deep into the Western Regions, to seek the key that will ultimately annihilate your ambition."

"And do you know that my third disciple has been stationed in Southern Xinjiang for many years? She is skilled in the Dao of witchcraft and insanity. Your schemes are merely futile; your blood refinement power cannot achieve full success here."

The Chancellor's gaze seemed to penetrate the black robe, looking directly at the High Priest's core: "And those 'bone god temples' scattered throughout the land..."

"Do you truly believe that with a few illusions and policies to deceive the ignorant, you can long deceive the heavens? The imperial court has long secretly marked them and tampered with them. As soon as the time is right, they can be made to backfire on their master!"

"Everything you've done is merely superficial. I didn't expect that after a thousand years, you still haven't made any progress..." The Chancellor shook his head with a hint of disappointment.

And each of his words was like a heavy hammer, striking the High Priest's heart.

The shadow beneath his hood fluctuated violently, and he shrieked, "Impossible! You dare not try to intimidate me with false words! The great array is complete, no one can stop it!"

The Chancellor shook his head slightly, his tone carrying a trace of pity: "Stubborn and unyielding. What you perceive as 'complete' is merely an illusion. If we didn't let you believe you had achieved something, how would it reveal itself?"

No sooner had he finished speaking... "Crack!"

A subtle yet incredibly clear cracking sound emanated from the core of the altar.

Immediately following, as if triggering a chain reaction, the entire blood-red sky-net covering Great Qian began to tremble violently and abnormally!

Those blood-red light pillars that shot into the sky flickered erratically, as if subjected to some powerful interference and impact.

The immense power of blood and souls, which had originally flowed smoothly towards the core altar, now became chaotic and impure, even beginning to show signs of flowing backward!

Above the altar, blood-red light flashed wildly, and the array patterns groaned under the strain. The Great Blood Refinement Array of Myriad Souls, which had just been at its zenith and seemed unstoppable, now, at this very moment, showed signs of collapse and disintegration!

"No!!!"

The High Priest's true body let out a roar of shock and fury. He clearly felt that the Transcendent Grade door, which was about to open to him, was violently shaking and slowly closing!

Even his own power was being sucked back by the great array. Forget about Transcendent Grade; maintaining the status quo was difficult!

At this moment, the Chancellor's cold voice came to his ears again:

"It's time to return everything you've drawn from this world over the past thousands of years!"

At the same time, on the battlefield of Jiangnan Prince's Manor.

The High Priest's avatar, who was spreading his arms, ready to enjoy the fruits of victory, suddenly trembled, and the blood-red energy gathered around him became extremely unstable.

He abruptly looked up at the violently shaking, flickering blood-red sky. For the first time, an expression of disbelief appeared in the shadow beneath his hood.

"How is this possible... the array foundation... has been reversed?!"

Although Li Shengyuan, Ye Hangzhou, and Luo Qingwan did not know exactly what had happened, they keenly perceived this earth-shattering change.

The terrifying suction force targeting living beings in the world suddenly weakened, and the blood-red net covering the world was visibly dimming and fragmenting at a speed visible to the naked eye!

It even felt as if it was giving back to the Great Qian's heaven and earth, making the withered mountains, rivers, and vegetation even more robust!

A gleam flashed in Li Shengyuan's eyes. Seizing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he shouted clearly:

"Now! Slay the demon! Destroy his avatar!"

The sound of swords rang out again, murderous intent soaring to the heavens!