342: Nine Netherworld God-Slaying Array

Two months later, in the heart of the Ghost Domain, on the drill ground surrounded by tributaries of the River Forgetfulness.

A hundred-zhang high platform cast from profound iron rose from the ground, the Soul-Suppressing Talismans engraved on the steps flickering with an eerie light.

The yin wind rustled the black-gold commander flags at the four corners of the platform with a 'clatter'. The hollow eye sockets of the hideous ghost heads on the flags looked down grimly at the million ghost soldiers arrayed below.

Shang Wan Ning sat upright in the main seat of the high platform, the twelve tassels of her white jade crown hanging down, obscuring half her face and leaving only a tightly pressed lip line visible.

On her black imperial robe, a dark gold Underworld Phoenix spread its wings over her shoulders, its tail wrapping around her waist, exuding pure majesty.

Sister Meng, dressed in crimson palace attire, stood silently half a step behind the Empress, her gaze solemn as she looked down at the military formation.

Niu Mengmeng leaned against the platform's railing, her thick black armor encasing a physique like a Vajra Barbie. The features revealed through the gaps in her armor actually held a hint of a cute lolita's sweetness.

She knelt heavily on one knee, her armor plates clashing with a muffled thud. "Reporting to Your Majesty, the military drill is about to begin."

Shang Wan Ning tapped the armrest once as a sign of agreement.

Below, a million ghost soldiers stood in solemn silence, a vast black mass stretching beyond the horizon. Yin energy swirled around them, rolling like ink clouds.

On the other side of the platform, Ma Sanqiang gripped a zhang-and-eight-high black command flag. The flag was not made of cloth but of condensed baleful yin energy, its edges roiling incessantly.

"Activate the array!"

Ma Sanqiang's shout was not loud, but it penetrated the drill ground like rolling thunder. The muscles in his arms bulged as he slammed the command flag down diagonally forward.

"Whoosh—"

The command flag cut through the air, a pitch-black trail tearing through the yin energy and crashing into the center of the military formation below.

The million ghost soldiers moved in response to the flag.

There were no earth-shattering shouts, only the low hum from the joints of their armor merging into a single sound.

The massive military formation instantly came to life, not in a chaotic clash, but following a certain profound trajectory.

In the inner core, eight elite square formations suddenly split apart, occupying the positions of Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui.

The ghost soldiers' steps were heavy with every stride.

Black spiderweb cracks silently spread across the ground, the patterns flowing as subterranean yin energy surged upward like crazy.

In the outer ring, sixty-four smaller square formations shifted like moving stars, rotating rapidly around the Eight Gates of the inner circle.

The ghost soldiers pointed their long halberds to the sky, the tips drawing their own yin power to stir the baleful energy of the Ghost Domain.

Countless streaks of black energy shot up from the heads of the ghost soldiers, gathering above the formation to become a baleful yin 'vortex' covering hundreds of miles.

In the center of the vortex, a speck of gray-white light quietly emerged and rapidly expanded.

Niu Mengmeng's voice rang out at the right moment, vibrating in the ears. "Please look, Your Majesty. The Nine Nether God-Slaying Array is based on the sixty-four hexagrams, with the Eight Gates as the foundation, following the Nine Palaces calculation."

"The inner circle's Eight Gates draw upon the earthly baleful energy, locking the fate of all eight directions and cutting off the enemy's retreat."

"The outer circle's sixty-four hexagrams rotate ceaselessly, absorbing the power of a million ghost soldiers and merging it with the baleful yin of the Ghost Domain."

"All power converges at the 'Guixu' position, the eye of the array, guided by the array core..." She raised her hand and pointed toward the center of the vortex, where the gray-white light was becoming increasingly dazzling.

"The million-fold yin power is purified through the array patterns, removing the dross and keeping the essence, finally condensing into this 'God-Slaying Radiance'. Wherever its edge reaches, even a seventh-tier godhead will shatter."

Just as she finished speaking, the gray-white light had expanded into a hundred-zhang thick pillar of light, its color gray and deathly still, exuding a ferocious aura that could annihilate all things.

The yin energy around the light pillar was distorted and torn, and even the solid spatial barriers of the Ghost Domain rippled.

Ma Sanqiang's wrist flicked, changing the command flag's motion from a slash to a straight thrust.

"God-Slaying — Break!"

The military formation did not target anything specific, but charged straight toward the Dark Iron Profound Wall at the end of the drill ground, which was reinforced by multiple layers of barriers.

As the light pillar swept past, bottomless chasms split open in the ground.

Were the edges of the chasms as smooth as a mirror?

No, they were simply smooth, still stained with the gray, deathly remnants of baleful energy. The space along the path was pierced through, with pitch-black cracks hanging half-open, unable to close for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

BOOM!!!

It wasn't an explosion, but a collision muffled to the extreme.

The gray-white light pillar slowly faded.

The million ghost soldiers maintained their formation, then retracted their halberds and stood at attention in perfect unison.

The floating baleful yin energy drifted down, merging back into the ley lines of the Ghost Domain.

Shang Wan Ning slowly raised her hand and tapped her knuckle heavily on the armrest.

Thump!

The sound wasn't loud, but it truly spread throughout the entire field, striking the heart of every ghost soldier.

Niu Mengmeng turned her head, a hint of questioning in her red eyes.

Shang Wan Ning stood up, the twelve tassels of her white jade crown clinking crisply. Her divine sense swept over the million-strong army below, finally landing on Niu Mengmeng and Ma Sanqiang, who held the flag on the other side of the platform.

"Commander Niu, this 'Nine Nether God-Slaying Array' is not bad."

She paused, "I am very satisfied. The military pay for the third quarter will be doubled."

"The Secretary's Office will allocate an additional thirty percent of incense offerings to the million ghost soldiers under your command." Shang Wan Ning gestured with her eyes to Sister Meng beside her.

Meng Jiang nodded slightly and noted it down.

Shang Wan Ning turned her head again, her face calm as water, coldly scanning the flag. "However, you still need to practice diligently. There is still room for the array's power; it can be increased several times over."

"The peaceful days of the Underworld are likely coming to an end." Having said that, she looked up, through the gaps in the tassels of her crown, her gaze directed toward the gray sky of the Ghost Domain.

It was as if she wanted to pierce through the boundary wall to see the gods of the Source Realm who were currently awakening.

"Before long, the halberds in your hands should taste the flavor of divine blood."

"Understood!!!" the million ghost soldiers shouted in unison.

Ma Sanqiang knelt on one knee, his knee hitting the ground hard. "This general, Ma Mian, is willing to lead these million ghost soldiers to swear deathly loyalty to Your Majesty and the Underworld."

"The God-Slaying Halberds will surely sweep away the gods for Your Majesty."

Shang Wan Ning looked at the boiling military formation below and nodded slightly. She sat back on her imperial throne and tapped the armrest again.

"Dismissed!"

Ma Sanqiang pulled up the command flag and waved it vigorously.

Below, the million ghost soldiers were like receding black water. Under the command of the flag signals, they moved in perfect order and withdrew completely within a few breaths.

On the drill ground, only the large craters and the lingering baleful yin energy remained.

Meng Jiang stepped forward, her fingertips tidying a stray lock of hair blown messy by the yin wind for Shang Wan Ning, and said softly, "The Nine Nether God-Slaying Array is complete, and a million ghost soldiers are just enough. Those old things in the Source Realm should think twice now."

Shang Wan Ning closed her eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air. "Sister Meng, it's not enough."

"The Nine Nether God-Slaying Array is strong, but it consumes too much energy and is slow to activate. It's only effective against gods who have just entered the seventh tier. If we encounter an eighth-tier god, or one proficient in spatial escape techniques, this array would be like using a sledgehammer to hit a mosquito—a waste of effort."

Meng Jiang's brow furrowed slightly. After a moment of thought, she said, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. In your opinion, what should be done next?"

Shang Wan Ning opened her eyes, "Use incense offerings to stack cultivation. Stack mine, stack yours, stack every bit of combat power in the Underworld that can be stacked."

"The Underworld cannot rely solely on military formations for head-on confrontations. I want the Underworld to have a few more seventh-tier, or even eighth-tier, Underworld Gods."

A sharp light flashed in Niu Mengmeng's red eyes, and she rubbed her small hands together. "Your Majesty, incense offerings are good, but conversion takes time. And the expenses for various parts of the Underworld..."