303: Spatial Remnant Map

Inside the bronze lamps of the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace, the smoke from the burning whale oil snaked up along the stone walls, gathering into a faint mist at the dome.

Jun Xiaoyao pinched the dark golden Jade Slip between his fingertips. As he injected his Qi, the incomplete spatial Formation patterns slowly unfolded on the light screen, like a torn star map. The runes at the edges flickered, as if telling some ancient secret.

"The material of these Formation patterns... is not from this world." Zhang Sanfeng's voice came from the side. He swept his whisk lightly over the surface of the Jade Slip. The Qi gathered at his fingertips resonated with the Formation patterns, stirring up fine specks of light. "When I was in seclusion on Zhongnan Mountain, I once saw similar Void Realm fragments. They also had these spiral runes, which are said to be related to 'Shattering the Void'."

Jun Xiaoyao brought the Jade Slip close to the lamp. The firelight shone through the translucent material, revealing vein-like patterns inside. "How many days will it take to complete?"

"At least three months," Zhang Sanfeng mused. "The missing Formation eye requires 'star marrow' to fill, and the transmission coordinates need to be calibrated according to the trajectory of the Big Dipper. The most troublesome part is the activation core; it requires a 'void stone' as energy—this thing might be found at the 'Soul Severing Cliff' in the Western Regions, but the 'Blood Shadow Cult' is entrenched there, and they are not to be trifled with."

[Force: Blood Shadow Cult]

[Realm: Cult Leader Blood Butcher (Peak Heaven-Human Realm), three Grand Elders under his command (Middle Celestial Realm)]

[Specialty: Monopolizes the mining of void stone in the Western Regions]

[Relationship with Beyond Heaven: No intersection]

Jun Xiaoyao looked at the information on the light screen and tapped his fingertip on the name "Blood Butcher": "Another Peak Heaven-Human Realm." He turned to Zhao Gao, "Have the 'Shadow' squad of The Net go to Soul Severing Cliff to investigate and figure out the defenses of the Blood Shadow Cult, especially the location of the void stone mine."

Zhao Gao hurriedly recorded this: "Young Lord, the 'Shadow' squad just returned from Wanfa Holy Land. Should we have the 'Kill' squad replace them?"

"No need," Jun Xiaoyao shook his head. "The 'Shadow' squad is good at concealment and reconnaissance. Keep the 'Kill' squad to deal with the counterattack from Wanfa Holy Land—they lost the classics in their Treasure Pavilion, so they surely won't let it go."

Before he finished speaking, the water mirror suddenly lit up with red light. This was an emergency signal that The Net was under attack. In the image, the Law Enforcement Elder of Wanfa Holy Land was besieging a stronghold of The Net in Qingzhou. The leader was an old man with a white beard, his palm wind carrying scorching heat waves, actually smashing a large hole in the blue stone wall of the stronghold.

[Character: Xuan Chen]

[From: Wanfa Holy Land]

[Realm: Middle Celestial Realm]

[Martial Skill: Ten Thousand Methods Return to One Palm (Major Achievement), Heaven Burning Art (Minor Achievement)]

[Status: Furious (due to the theft of the Treasure Pavilion)]

"It's the Law Enforcement Elder of Wanfa Holy Land." Zhao Gao's expression changed slightly. "There are only five 'Yellow' Rank assassins in the stronghold. I'm afraid they won't last for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense."

Jun Xiaoyao swiped his fingertip across the light screen to bring up the nearest support forces: "Have Star Plucker take the 'Xuan' squad to provide support. Tell him to leave survivors; I want to know the movements of the Wanfa Holy Land Main Altar."

[Instruction Transmitted: Star Plucker, immediately provide support to the Qingzhou stronghold, capture Xuan Chen, and inquire about the deployment of the Main Altar]

The water mirror screen switched. Star Plucker was turning into a swift, flying rapidly through the clouds. After receiving the order, he flapped his wings, and his speed suddenly increased. The 'Xuan' squad assassins following behind him turned into black shadows, following like a shadow—this was the scene of the 'Treading Snow Without a Trace' movement technique driven to the extreme.

Half an hour later, outside the Qingzhou stronghold.

Xuan Chen smashed the stronghold gate with one palm and was about to lead people in when he suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck. He turned around abruptly, but only saw a falling feather, and the token at his waist had already disappeared.

"Who is it?" Xuan Chen roared, his palm wind sweeping everywhere, but he didn't even touch a shadow.

"Old thing, your reaction is quite slow." Star Plucker's voice came from the eaves. He was tossing Xuan Chen's token in his hand, his figure gradually appearing from a stealth state. "The reputation of Wanfa Holy Land has all been thrown away by you."

Xuan Chen was shocked and angry. He operated the Heaven Burning Art with full force, and three feet of flames rose around his body: "It's you little thief! You dared to appear after stealing the account book from my branch last time!"

"Account book? That thing has long been plastered all over Qingzhou City." Star Plucker closed his folding fan and pointed behind Xuan Chen. "You'd better worry about yourself."

Xuan Chen looked back and saw that more than a dozen Luowang Assassins had surrounded the Law Enforcement team. The poison-quenched arrowheads on the crossbows shone with a faint blue light in the sun. He only then realized he had been ambushed. Just as he was about to break out, he was entangled by Star Plucker's 'Hundred Transformations Divine Fist'—this set of fist techniques was full of changes, sometimes as fierce as Shaolin boxing, sometimes as soft as Tai Chi, making it difficult for him to parry for a while.

The 'Xuan' squad assassins took the opportunity to strike. Amidst the poisonous smoke, the members of the Law Enforcement team fell to the ground one after another. Xuan Chen let out an angry shout, pushing the Heaven Burning Art to the extreme. The flames turned into a fire dragon and pounced on Star Plucker, while he himself turned and rushed toward the secret passage behind the stronghold.

"Want to run?" Star Plucker was prepared. He threw his folding fan, which hit the secret passage mechanism precisely. With a "bang," the entrance to the secret passage was sealed by a giant stone.

Xuan Chen's retreat was cut off, and he was entangled by the 'Soul Locking Net' of the Luowang Assassins. Finally, he was exhausted and captured. Star Plucker tied him up with a special fine iron chain and kicked his face: "Speak, is the Wanfa Holy Land Main Altar mobilizing troops?"

Xuan Chen gritted his teeth and said nothing, but Star Plucker laughed: "Not talking? That's fine. My 'Bone-Eroding Powder' happens to need a test subject." He made a gesture to sprinkle the powder. Xuan Chen's face changed drastically, and he hurriedly shouted: "I'll talk! The Main Altar wants to unite with the Blood Shadow Cult to besiege Hanyue Valley next month!"

In front of the water mirror, Jun Xiaoyao's eyes darkened when he heard this. The Blood Shadow Cult and Wanfa Holy Land are joining forces? This was unexpected. He looked at Zhang Sanfeng: "Daoist, how is Blood Butcher's strength?"

"Much stronger than Xuan Chen," Zhang Sanfeng said. "The 'Blood Shadow Great Technique' of the Blood Shadow Cult can swallow others' Qi. Back then, they exterminated over a dozen Sects in the Western Regions, and their methods were extremely cruel."

Jun Xiaoyao tapped his fingertip on the summoning array. The Qi of the Formation eye had recovered by 10% because of the capture of Xuan Chen, reaching 10%. "It seems I have to speed up the completion of the transmission array." He said to Zhao Gao, "Have the 'Shadow' squad get a sample of the void stone at all costs. I want to know its energy fluctuation frequency."

Zhao Gao took the order and retreated, and the underground palace returned to silence. Zhang Sanfeng looked at the incomplete transmission array map on the light screen and suddenly said: "Young Lord, I remembered someone who might be able to speed up the completion progress."

[Recommended Summoning Character: Yellow Pharmacist]

[From: "the legend of the condor heroes" world]

[Realm: Peak Grandmaster Realm]

[Martial Skill: Finger Flicking Divine Skill (Perfection), Falling Blossom Sword Palm (Major Achievement)]

[Expertise: Mystical Arts of Wondrous Gates and Hidden Staves, Formation deduction]

[Summoning Consumption: 50% Qi]

"Eastern Heretic Yellow Pharmacist?" Jun Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow. This strange man, who is proficient in the Mystical Arts of Wondrous Gates and Hidden Staves, is indeed the best candidate to complete the Formation. He looked at the summoning array; the current Qi is only enough to summon half, which is clearly not enough.

"Wait a moment," Jun Xiaoyao said. "Wait for the 'Shadow' squad to send back news about the void stone, then decide whether to summon."

Three days later, the 'Shadow' squad sent back news, bringing not only the void stone sample but also the defense map of the Blood Shadow Cult. The sample was dark purple and cold to the touch. The spatial Qi contained within it made the runes of the summoning array resonate.

[Item: void stone]

[Rank: Heaven And Earth Treasure]

[Effect: Contains spatial Qi, can be used as energy for the transmission array]

[Origin: Western Regions Soul Severing Cliff]

Jun Xiaoyao placed the void stone next to the transmission array fragment map. The moment the two touched, the Formation patterns on the light screen lit up for the most part, and the outline of the missing parts vaguely emerged. "It really works." He said to Zhang Sanfeng, "Daoist, do you think it's enough to summon Yellow Pharmacist now?"

"It's enough," Zhang Sanfeng nodded. "With the void stone as a reference, Yellow Pharmacist's attainments in Formations can at least speed up the completion progress by a month."

Jun Xiaoyao did not hesitate and activated the summoning array. Although the Qi of the Formation eye was only 10%, under the blessing of the void stone, it barely reached the summoning requirement. As the runes rotated, a figure dressed in green, holding a jade flute, slowly solidified. His face was handsome, his eyes carried a bit of arrogance—it was Yellow Pharmacist.

[Character Panel: Yellow Pharmacist]

[From: "the legend of the condor heroes" world]

[Realm: Peak Grandmaster Realm]

[Martial Skill: Finger Flicking Divine Skill (Perfection), Falling Blossom Sword Palm (Major Achievement), Blue Sea Surging Tide Melody (Perfection)]

[Expertise: Mystical Arts of Wondrous Gates and Hidden Staves, Medicine, Divination, Astrology, Mechanism Art]

[Loyalty: 85%]

"Young Master of Tianwaitian?" Yellow Pharmacist pointed with his jade flute, and the Qi gathered at the tip of the flute drew a complex Formation pattern on the ground. "I heard you have an incomplete spatial Formation? Let me see it."

Jun Xiaoyao handed him the Jade Slip. Yellow Pharmacist took it, and after just one glance, he exclaimed: "This is the 'Grand Void Teleportation Array'! I saw a rubbing in the ruins of Peach Blossom Island back then. I didn't expect to see the real thing!" He immediately took out paper and pen and drew the completion map against the Jade Slip. His pen tip danced like lightning. "The missing Formation eye uses star marrow, the coordinates refer to the Ziwei Enclosure, and the energy... this void stone is indeed suitable, but the purity is not enough; it must be purified with 'Li Fire'."

Jun Xiaoyao watched his skilled operation and said to Zhao Gao: "Have the 'Earth' squad go to collect star marrow. The location is the crater at Beidou Cliff—Phoenix of the Miao People should know that place."

Zhao Gao responded and left, but Yellow Pharmacist said without raising his head: "No need for that much trouble." He flicked a stone, hitting the rune on the summoning array. "The material of this Formation eye can be replaced by black iron tempered with the Qi of the summoning array; star marrow is too wasteful."

A hint of surprise flashed in Jun Xiaoyao's eyes, and then he understood. Yellow Pharmacist's attainments in Formations are indeed well-deserved.

Outside the underground palace, the wind and snow in Hanyue Valley gradually became heavier, covering the tracks of the Luowang Assassins. Inside the underground palace, the resonance between the void stone and the summoning array became stronger and stronger, and the outline of the Grand Void Teleportation Array became clearer on the light screen. Jun Xiaoyao knew that once the Formation was completed, the forces of The Net would be able to cross regional restrictions and truly arrive in an instant.

As for the Alliance between Wanfa Holy Land and the Blood Shadow Cult, it was nothing but the struggle of clowns. He looked at Xuan Chen, who was imprisoned in the dungeon, and a cold arc hooked at the corner of his mouth—this pawn might be used to add some "surprises" to the upcoming siege.

The spiritual light of the summoning array and the ghostly light of the void stone intertwined, reflecting in Jun Xiaoyao's deep eyes.

The territory of Beyond Heaven is about to welcome a new expansion with the completion of the spatial transmission array. And those forces that block the way will eventually turn into dust under the shadow of The Net.