Chapter 312: Eight Stone Soldier Arrays
’This boy must not be allowed to live!’
"He Cheng, what are you waiting for? Make your move!"
Wang Mingxuan looked at the Tianze Ancestor in horror.
What he didn’t know, however, was that Shen Daoxing had actually gone from the first layer of Spirit Transformation to the Ninth Layer of Spirit Transformation in less than three days. If he knew that, his shock would have been even greater.
The moment Wang Mingxuan shouted, the Tianze Ancestor had already vanished.
"RUMBLE!"
Everyone felt the ground suddenly tremble as if in an earthquake, and the entire grand hall began to sway from side to side.
The next moment.
Darkness fell over them as a gigantic palm broke through the roof of the hall, reaching down like a mountain descending from the heavens.
"Grand-Ancestor! Shen Daoxing just saved us! Are you going to make us, Tianze, go back on our word?"
The Tianze Emperor cried out in alarm and took a step forward.
A dazzling light burst forth as the Tianze Emperor’s body began to grow larger, expanding at a rapid pace.
"Heaven and Earth!"
But at that very moment.
"HUMMM!"
A profound sound echoed within the hall, as vast and ethereal as a primordial hum from the void between heaven and earth.
The next moment, the floor of the hall suddenly lit up, and a profound, ancient Array materialized beneath everyone’s feet.
The Array was circular, with a perfect six-pointed star carved in the center, upon which mysterious, golden runes flowed and shimmered.
The mystical Array flared with brilliant light. Countless mystic runes rose from it and spread outward, and in just a few moments, the four walls of the room were covered in the golden, divine script.
The instant the Array appeared, the Tianze Emperor felt as if his power was being drained away. His massive Dharma Body, which had just begun to expand, abruptly shrank back to its original size.
The Tianze Emperor looked up, his face a mask of horror. "It’s the Formless Profound Spirit Array, left behind by the ancestors! Inside this Array, all living beings will have their Spiritual Power constantly drained, rendering them unable to use their own strength. They’ve been planning this for a long time; they came prepared."
The golden runes spreading from the Array crept up to the roof of the grand hall, about to seal it completely.
The Tianze Emperor let out a great shout, and one of his arms swelled to an immense size.
"BANG!"
He thrust his palm upward, slamming it against the descending hand and holding the massive appendage at bay.
Then, the Tianze Emperor whipped his head around to look at Shen Daoxing. "Quick, go! Escape while the Formless Profound Spirit Array hasn’t sealed completely! Go now!"
With another mighty roar, the Tianze Emperor threw a punch upward with his other arm, sending a volatile Fist Gang rocketing toward the sky.
"CRASH!"
Instantly, a large hole was blasted through the roof of the grand hall.
Seizing the opportunity, Shen Daoxing shot up from the ground, transforming into an arc of light as he flew out.
The next moment, the golden, mystical runes inside the hall spread across the entire roof, enveloping the hall and trapping everyone who remained inside.
A faint white glow surrounded their bodies as their Spiritual Power was continuously siphoned away. Some of the weaker individuals collapsed to the ground with a soft THUD, completely debilitated.
Outside, Shen Daoxing had just flown out when he saw the figure of Wang Mingxuan already waiting for him up ahead.
"Hehehehe! Shen Daoxing, you won’t escape this time. Elder Yuan Hua got the message and is already rushing here. There’s no way you can get away now. You’re going to die without a proper burial!"
The corners of Wang Mingxuan’s mouth curled into a smile.
However, his smile had barely formed when his expression suddenly changed to one of alarm.
Because in the next instant, a peerless beam of light imbued with Sword Intent streaked across the sky, shooting toward him.
Terrified, Wang Mingxuan’s figure flickered and transformed into a chain of interconnected golden coins.
"CLANG!"
The chain of golden coins was instantly pierced, creating large holes. They fell to the ground with a series of clatters.
Shen Daoxing retracted his finger and was about to give chase when darkness suddenly fell before him. The colossal figure of the Tianze Ancestor blocked his path.
Shen Daoxing looked up and saw that the Tianze Ancestor’s once frail, aged body had undergone a dramatic transformation. He was now robust and muscular, his skin shimmering with golden light and covered in profound, mystical characters. Aside from his head of white hair, he no longer looked old at all.
"Shen Daoxing, whether you are the Celestial Slaughter Demon Star or not, whether you will destroy the entire East Continent in the future, for the sake of Tianze’s future, you must die!"
The booming voice emanated from the massive figure in the sky.
The next moment.
A fist the size of a small mountain suddenly smashed down.
Shen Daoxing hastily retreated.
"BOOM!"
The earth shook and the mountains swayed. A crater several dozen feet deep had been blasted open where he had just been standing.
"You think this is enough to stop me?"
Shen Daoxing pushed off lightly with his feet. A stream of radiant light flowed beneath them, and he suddenly transformed into a dazzling rainbow, soaring into the sky.
But just then.
"HUMMM!"
An indescribably profound and resonant sound echoed through the sky.
Shen Daoxing sensed something was wrong. His figure paused, then he shot backward abruptly.
The next instant, a mountain a thousand feet tall suddenly erupted from the ground beneath him, blocking his path.
Two beams of brown light shot out like comets. The mountain that had risen from the earth had opened its eyes.
Rocks continuously trembled and fell away as the mountain suddenly extended arms and legs, stood up, and transformed into a colossal stone man that blotted out the sun.
But it wasn’t over yet.
"RUMBLE!"
"RUMBLE!"
A series of deafening roars followed one after another.
Shen Daoxing turned to look and found that all around him—in front, behind, to his left and right—massive mountains were rising up from the ground.
Then, they all began to move, extending limbs like giant stone pillars. One after another, colossal, sky-blocking stone men appeared before him.
Inside the grand hall, the Tianze Emperor hurried to the entrance. He looked up in astonishment through the Formless Profound Spirit Array, his eyes widening.
"That’s the Ancestor’s Eight Stone Soldier Arrays, a Forbidden Technique that surpasses even Celestial Tier Martial Techniques! Unlike Xu Hong, who focused solely on Alchemy and had little skill in Martial Techniques, the Ancestor has dedicated over two hundred years to the study of Martial Arts Techniques. He once traveled the East Continent alone for decades, challenging the Sect Leaders of countless factions, both large and small. His combat experience is immense—not something Xu Hong could ever hope to match!"
As the colossal stone men appeared, Shen Daoxing saw massive, sun-blotting shadows smashing down toward him.
The sky-high giants were already swinging their massive arms, attacking with the force of toppling mountains and overturning seas.
"RUMBLE!"
A dazzling white light flashed.
A crystal-clear Venerable Dharma Seal suddenly materialized. Like a colossal mountain, it appeared before Shen Daoxing, blocking the terrifying fists of the eight descending Stone Soldier Giants.
At the same time, Shen Daoxing shot up from the ground with a WHOOSH, transforming into a streak of rainbow light. He appeared before one of the Stone Soldier Giants, bringing the Great Ming Demon Sparrow down in his hands.
"ZZZZT!"
Arcs of black lightning flickered.
The space around them seemed to twist and distort.
Shen Daoxing slammed the Great Ming Demon Sparrow onto the Stone Soldier Giant’s shoulder. He then cleaved straight downward, splitting the giant’s body open in a slash that continued all the way to the other side of its abdomen.