Chapter 0176: The Outbreak of War
All the seven Profound Core Cultivators had to enter the Killing Array, moreover it was also the largest number that he could manage. If there were fewer people in the Killing Array, then his Killing Array could last longer. As for the outside of the Killing Array, Ning Cheng was already well prepared with a large number of Defensive Array Formations. He knew that he must not allow the others outside to be able to attack the inside. That was the only way to take that into account, once there was a Profound Core Cultivator who did not enter the Array Formation, then the losses suffered by the Hua Continent’s cultivators would be too great.
As Man Rang’s trio saw Ning Cheng’s speed in refining the Array Flags, they finally somewhat believed that Ning Cheng could definitely arrange the Hidden Serial Killing Array. In order to coordinate with Ning Cheng, making the Profound Core Cultivators in the Mo Ze City to not suspect their actions, Man Rang’s trio continued to shift around the cultivator army unceasingly.
……
Just as Ning Cheng’s side was fearing the Yi Xing Ocean’s cultivator army inside the Mo Ze City, the cultivators from the side Yi Xing Ocean also had similar fears towards the Hua Continent’s cultivator army.
They could see that the Hua Continent’s cultivator army were very dense and numerous, they were at least 100,000 strong, moreover they could also see three Profound Core Cultivators roaming about. But with only three Profound Core Cultivators, how could they dare to siege the city? This fact was very puzzling to the cultivators from the Yi Xing Ocean, as they had the mentality of being cautious towards what they could not understand.
Although the Yi Xing Ocean’s cultivator army was occupying the Hua Continent, but it was not without costs. They had just invaded the Hua Continent, but they were still involved in a large scale war on both sides.
In that war between the forces of the Hua Continent and the Yi Xing Ocean, the Yi Xing Ocean’s side had invested nearly 200,000 cultivator soldiers, and more than 20 Profound Core Cultivators. But after fighting the war for so long, they had lost 11 Profound Core Cultivators, and nearly 100,000 of their cultivator army, before being able to push back the cultivator army of the Hua Continent. If not for there being less number of Profound Core Cultivators on the side of the Hua Continent, then the outcome of the war would have been hard to predict.
“Xi Dou, I see that the Hua Continent still have three Profound Core Cultivators on their side, as such their strength should be far worse than our own.” Spoke a thin and tall Profound Core Cultivator from the side. It was only after a good short while of observing the situation, that another red faced Profound Core Cultivator spoke.
“The Hua Continent’s cultivators are full of craftiness and are also cunning. If they only had three Profound Core Cultivators, how could they even dare to take back the city? Didn’t you also notice that there is a place among them that is shielded by a Concealment Array Formation. My Spiritual Consciousness has no way to sweep into that area, perhaps they are up to some tricks.”
“Moreover we don’t need to play with them at all, as long as everything is ready, we can retreat back safely. If during our retreat, we find that they were bluffing, we can easily slaughter them all. At most we would only be delayed for a couple days.” That red faced cultivator replied.
In fact, most of the people agreed to the red faced cultivator’s words. Even if the Hua Continent’s army was not as good as theirs, they basically did not have anything to do with their hands for the rest of the few days.
Their objective in the Hua Continent was already fulfilled. Originally they had intended to go back immediately, as basically there was no necessity for them to go ahead and kill every single cultivator from the Hua Continent. Moreover, wouldn’t it be much better for them to completely slaughter them with all their preparations complete?
……
Both sides had already prepared their own plans, and so the first day came to pass. Although the Yi Xing Ocean’s cultivators temporarily stationed within the walls of the Mo Ze City had clashed several times, but Man Rang took precautions so as to not actively engage against them, as such they only moved around a bit, that is, they did not dare to go all out. Moreover, the Yi Xing Ocean’s cultivator army also tested them out a few times, but also did not go all out and attack, on the contrary they moved back again and again.
During the coming two days, both sides tested out each other many times. But during these days, Ning Cheng was constantly refining Array Flags. Setting up countless Array Formations. Other than Yi Xing Ocean’s side testing them out, the area all around him was peaceful and quiet.
Ning Cheng’s speed of arranging the Array Formations was already very swift, as such he could already arrange several Array Formations by the time it took for half an incense stick to burn. But because of arranging so many various Array Formations for a few days in a row, even if it was Ning Cheng himself, he could not remember how many different types of Array Formations that he had already arranged.
Defensive Array Formations, Killing Arrays, Entrapment Array Formations, Concealment Array Formations……
Basically he had superimposed the various Array Formations together, and arriving at the end, Man Rang had also provided heaps of Artefact crafting materials to Ning Cheng, which he had once again refined them into more Array Flags.
Since the time Ning Cheng started studying Array Formations, till the point of time he had arrived here, Ning Cheng had never ever refined these many Array Flags in such a short amount of time of just a few days.
On the fifth day, Ning Cheng finally stopped.
Seeing that Ning Cheng did not continue to arrange the Array Formations, several of the Profound Congealing Cultivators, and even the few Profound Core Cultivators immediately gathered around him, asking about Ning Cheng’s progress.
“My Array Formations are already completely set up, apart from the initial two days of trial skirmishes outside the Mo Ze City where we were attacked a few times, the rest of the days were used to congregate our powers while biding our time. Moreover, initially they were also actively taking the initiative to attack us a few times before they stopped, as such we do not know what they are up to during these days, but even if that is the case we do not need to know about it.” Ning Cheng had already planned to begin. As for what the Yi Xing Ocean’s cultivators did, it was not much important, anyways he did not intend to rush into the Mo Ze City and begin fighting hand to hand all by himself against the entire army.
“Are we going to begin now?” Jing Ji asked, although he was a Profound Core Cultivator, but compared to Ning Cheng, he was much more nervous.
Ning Cheng spoke as he took out three Array Flags and handed them to Man Rang, Jing Ji and Qi Xiuya, “These are the Command Array Flags that I refined for my Killing Array, moreover these Array Flags will also act as a guide for us to locate each other’s correct position. Jing Ji and Qi Xiuya, use them in the correct orientation, and constrain the remaining six. I and Man Rang will, in the shortest time kill the last one, and then get rid of the rest, one by one.”
“How will you attract the attention of those several Profound Core Cultivators?” Jing Ji was the most worried about this problem.
Ning Cheng pointed to the Black-Silver Warship and spoke, “It is the simplest, we will let the Black-Silver Warship go crazy and bomb the Mo Ze City with its help. With the power of the Black-Silver Warship, if they do not come out, then they would only be seeking their deaths. Moreover, I will also be on the Black Silver Warship, which would also be concealed inside this Hidden Serial Killing Array, it is guaranteed that those Profound Core Cultivators will certainly first try to destroy the Black-Silver Warship. As a result, they will also naturally enter the Array.”
“A good idea.” Qi Xiuya laughed. Ning Cheng’s approach was simply too damage inducing. No wonder he was constantly arranging one Defensive Array Formations after another on the Black-Silver Warship initially. At first he had thought that Ning Cheng was doing this to ensure the safety and preserve the power of the Black-Silver Warship, but he had never thought that his original intention was to use the warship to lure the Profound Core Cultivators.
Before he also felt some regret that there were too few Spirit Stone Cannons, but now it seemed that it was the only thing feasible.
“Yi! They seem to be coming out.” Man Rang saw that numerous Yi Xing Ocean’s cultivators were coming onto the parapets, moreover even opening a few of the gates.
“So that’s how it is, the Yi Xing Ocean’s cultivators were using these days to refine the Flight Type Artefacts, so they were really preparing to retreat, once they find that they would not be able to beat us, they had planned to leave this place.” Ning Cheng suddenly spoke up.
Jing Ji also spoke with some amazement, “To refine so many Flight Type Artefacts in a few days, it seems that they have an accomplished Crafting Master among them.”
Man Rang spoke with disdain, “These Yi Xing Ocean’s cultivators are simply playing downwind, once they faced even a bit of frustration, they would immediately try to return to the Yi Xing Ocean, moreover they even refined Flight Type Artefacts for this sole purpose.”
Ning Cheng already knew that these Yi Xing Ocean’s cultivators were going to retreat sooner or later as such did not share the same idea as that of Man Rang, moreover the opposite party already knew that this war would definitely not last long, even if in the end they had to finally retreat. Now that the task at hand had already been completed, since they already had an upper hand, why wouldn’t they be willing to play with them for a bit?
But if they thought that they would be able to get away from here with the help of those low levelled Flying Type Artefacts, then they were also grossly underestimating Ning Cheng’s IQ. Since he had been arranging Array Formations for five consecutive days, how could he not set up a Forbidden Space Restriction? If it was another Rank 3 Array Formation Master, then even if he was capable of setting up a Forbidden Space Restriction, but that did not mean that he also could arrange it. Although he could not arrange an Advanced Level Forbidden Space Restriction, but Low Levelled Forbidden Space Restrictions, he could still arrange them.
“Yang Honghuo, immediately go crazy with the Spirit Stone Cannon, aim at the most crowded spaces where the Yi Xing Ocean’s cultivators are gathered.” Ning Cheng immediately fired out orders to Yang Honghuo.
Yang Honghuo, who was already waiting for Ning Cheng’s command, just as he received the command, immediately began his bombardment.
A dazzlingly white light that looked like a meteor fell onto the centre of the Mo Ze City, immediately formidable Spiritual Qi fluctuations exploded out as that pillar of light detonated.
“Boom…….” The city walls of the Mo Ze City, under the Spirit Stone Cannon, were just like a sheet of paper, before it exploded to dust. Hundreds of Yi Xing Ocean’s cultivator were directly blown into nothingness by the Spirit Stone Cannon, while even many more were seriously injured by the shock wave from the blast of the Spirit Stone Cannon.
“They have Spirit Stone Cannons!!” Several of the Yi Xing Ocean’s Profound Core Cultivators immediately knew that they had thought wrong, although their numbers were not as high as their opponents, but if they compare strengths then they would definitely be stronger, but at the moment it was absolutely impossible for them wait and watch because of the Spirit Stone Cannon.
Since the Hua Continent’s cultivator army had Spirit Stone Cannons, then continuing to guard the Mo Ze City was simply meaningless to them.
The red faced Profound Core Cultivator immediately shouted out, “Everyone immediately leave the Mo Ze City to attack, the several Profound Core Cultivators along with me will immediately proceed to the other side to destroy the Spirit Stone Cannon. They only have a single Spirit Stone Cannon, as long as we destroy their Spirit Stone Cannon, we can surely go ahead and kill all the Hua Continent’s cultivators here.”
The red faced Profound Core Cultivator had just finished speaking, when another shell came hurling towards their side. He could only watch as hundreds of Yi Xing Ocean’s cultivators, under the bombardment of the Spirit Stone Cannon, did not even have the ability to resist even for half a moment. Seeing this the red faced Profound Core Cultivator’s face became increasingly dark. As he was the first to rush out, and was followed by four other Profound Core Cultivators. The remaining two Profound Core Cultivators, as Ning Cheng had already predicted, did not come out, but rather dispersed themselves among the Yi Xing Ocean’s cultivators as they launched their attacks.
Although this put less pressure on Ning Cheng, but Ning Cheng also knew, that with this the losses among the Hua Continent’s cultivator army would be even greater. Once the two Profound Core Cultivators rushed into the Hua Continent’s cultivator army, no one could be their opponent. Since he was the one who had laid out this Array Formation, how couldn’t he know about how long this Array Formation could last against a Profound Core Cultivator from the outside? At most it would only be for a few minutes.
“Yang Honghuo, you specifically aim the cannon at the two Profound Core Cultivators and force them to come to us.” Ning Cheng could see that the seven Profound Core Cultivators were divided into two teams, out of which only five of them rushed over, immediately turning Yang Honghuo into their target.
As long as they could hold up the Profound Core Cultivators, they would not have to be afraid of the rest of the cultivator army, as they can then be killed off. Once a Profound Core Cultivator rushed into the Hua Continent’s cultivator army, then the casualties on their side would be very heavy.