Chapter 2079: Golden Toad King

“True Lord, with your keen insight, you could discern so much even before the great formation's foundation is complete. This humble Taoist is truly impressed. I conceived this idea upon breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage, and Junior Brother Shen and I have invested considerable effort in designing this array. Whenever we encountered difficulties, I would boldly seek advice from Immortal Fairy Liuli. She even helped us deduce the most crucial parts of the array, which aided us immensely. We are truly at a loss for how to repay her.”

Li Yufu cupped his hands toward the north, his tone sincere.

True Lord Hegao revealed a look of envy. “To infer the whole from a single part—once this array is complete, it will be the foremost mountain-guarding formation in the Storm Realm! I never expected Sect Master Li to be so extraordinary in his endeavors, possessing such profound mastery of array enchantments.”

Li Yufu humbly replied, “True Lord, you flatter me. Due to my limited perspective, this array actually has many imperfections. I racked my brain and ultimately had to resort to some clumsy methods, patching it up to barely maintain its structure, planning to improve it slowly in the future. If your esteemed sect were willing to refine a new mountain-guarding array, or if the Three Sect Alliance were to work together, it would certainly surpass this one. If this were not my own sect’s mountain-guarding array, I would certainly visit you to seek guidance.”

As it was a sect’s mountain-guarding array, it was natural to avoid external participation, which was common practice.

He then sighed again. “Qingyang Sect’s foundation is still shallow. Even though we know how incredibly difficult this undertaking is, we must do it to provide a sanctuary for our future disciples.”

True Lord Hegao merely smiled, finding nothing unusual. He believed Li Yufu’s words were entirely reasonable.

Qingyang Sect already possessed the aura of a major faction, with countless disciples. Luhye had long become somewhat crowded, and its various branch temples could not accommodate many people. Moreover, with disciples scattered across different areas, their minds became restless, which was not conducive to fostering unity.

Now that the situation was gradually improving, Qingyang Sect’s decision to establish a new mountain gate at this time, though seemingly sudden, was entirely appropriate.

He had indeed been startled by the sheer scale of the great array earlier, not expecting Qingyang Sect to undertake such a grand project. But upon second thought, only a small portion of the array’s foundation had been laid, and calculations based solely on that were bound to be biased.

A large-scale spirit array did not necessarily imply sophistication; it might simply have had everything added to achieve power. Perhaps, as Li Yufu said, once completed, it would just be an unwieldy array.

Of course, Immortal Fairy Liuli had also participated in the array’s design, so True Lord Hegao dared not draw conclusions. He flew slowly towards the palace with Li Yufu, his eyes never leaving the ground, trying to find any subtle clues.

Currently, it was still the preparatory phase, so Qingyang Sect allowed outsiders like them to enter. In a few more days, there would be nothing left to see.

“Huh?”

True Lord Hegao indeed noticed more details. “This layout… Sect Master Li seems to be dividing the entire great array into numerous smaller sub-arrays, to be eventually merged into one?”

“It cannot escape True Lord’s discerning eyes,” Li Yufu said admiringly. “That is indeed my intention. Does True Lord believe it feasible?”

True Lord Hegao stroked his beard and said, “Any spirit array can be divided. Fundamentally, the process of constructing any spirit array involves first dividing and then combining. However, Sect Master Li seems to have divided the great array too finely. So many sub-arrays, hmm…”

True Lord Hegao fell silent for a moment, making a quick calculation in his mind, then gently shook his head. “While this approach certainly makes the initial stages easier, the difficulty will sharply increase when it comes to merging the arrays, unless Immortal Fairy Liuli personally intervenes. Otherwise… I wonder what ingenious plan Sect Master Li has?”

Li Yufu replied candidly, “Immortal Fairy Liuli is a cornerstone of this realm; how dare we disturb her seclusion with such trivial matters? This humble Taoist has no ingenious plan either. In the end, we will call upon the entire sect, with each disciple overseeing a sub-array, allowing them to comprehend it in advance. United as one, we shall overcome this challenge!”

“This…”

True Lord Hegao hesitated. As he did not have a complete understanding of the great array, he could not judge the feasibility of this approach. Since Li Yufu dared to undertake it, he must have some degree of confidence.

However…

True Lord Hegao frowned. “If you proceed this way, your esteemed sect will find it very difficult to divert attention to external matters, and it likely won’t be completed in a short period.”

“Precisely,” Li Yufu nodded. “This humble Taoist originally planned to visit you later to discuss something with the Three Sect Alliance. Since the opportunity presents itself today, I’ll first seek True Lord’s opinion.”

True Lord Hegao could already guess a thing or two, and calmly said, “Sect Master Li, please speak.”

The two happened to arrive near the palace.

Li Yufu instructed his disciples to attend to the spiritual cranes pulling the carriage, and invited True Lord Hegao into the hall to sit. Then he said, “In the counterattacks of previous years, does True Lord believe we gained any substantial benefits?”

True Lord Hegao pondered, “Aside from curbing the arrogance of the Changyou clan, disrupting their deployments, and securing temporary stability, there seems to have been no real benefit. The areas we recaptured were slowly taken back again.”

“Exactly!”

Li Yufu nodded. “Some people have been instigating counterattacks, but this humble Taoist believes it’s not worth the cost. Immortal Fairy Liuli is currently in seclusion and must not be disturbed. The Changyou clan’s army occupies the Western Wilderness, seemingly only harassing us, with no desire for a full-scale invasion. We would do well to seize this opportunity to recuperate, accumulate strength, and refrain from provoking the Changyou clan for now.”

True Lord Hegao fell into contemplation. He could tell that Li Yufu had selfish motives; only by avoiding a major war with the Changyou clan could Qingyang Sect recall its disciples and have ample time to arrange the mountain-guarding formation.

He had anticipated this, but he noticed another piece of information from Li Yufu’s words.

After the last struggle for the Qingling Qi, Immortal Fairy Liuli had been in seclusion until now, but had not revealed the reason.

Judging by Li Yufu’s tone, it seemed that even if a major war broke out between the two races, Immortal Fairy Liuli would not easily emerge from seclusion.

What exactly was so important?

There were rumors that Immortal Fairy Liuli had been seriously injured when she single-handedly intercepted the Changyou clan leader last time. However, at the end of that battle, he had not noticed anything unusual about Immortal Fairy Liuli, wondering if she had disguised herself too well.

“Are there rumors that Immortal Fairy Liuli’s current seclusion is to break through to the Void Refining stage?” True Lord Hegao asked directly.

“I don’t know where those rumors originate. Even Palace Master Tong is unsure of Immortal Fairy Liuli’s exact cultivation level. The Void Refining stage is certainly not so easy to break through.”

Li Yufu shook his head slightly. “This humble Taoist actually hopes the rumors are true. In my opinion, unless the Changyou clan breaches our heartland, we need not concern ourselves. Only the Qingling Qi is fundamental. Our best course of action is to recuperate, accumulate strength, and dedicate ourselves to seizing enough Qingling Qi! As long as someone can break through to the Void Refining stage, the external threats can be completely resolved!”

Seeing True Lord Hegao remain silent, Li Yufu then calmly said, “True Lord, have you noticed that after the last great battle, there has also been no news from the Changyou clan leader for a long time?”

True Lord Hegao’s expression changed involuntarily, but then quickly returned to normal.

After the great battle, it was normal for the Changyou clan leader to go into seclusion to refine Qingling Qi. One could not simply deduce that he was about to break through.

Breaking through the Nascent Soul stage was already so difficult; if not for the Qingling Qi, who knew how many fellow Daoists would have already perished, let alone attempting Void Refining?

The Changyou clan had never been a particularly prosperous clan, content to stay in one corner, with a limited foundation. Presumably, it would also be difficult for them to obtain any divine medicines.

Being trapped by a bottleneck for several hundred years was perfectly normal.

Just as he was pondering, True Lord Hegao and Li Yufu suddenly looked outside the hall simultaneously, sensing a powerful aura approaching.

“Another distinguished guest is arriving. Please wait a moment, True Lord,” Li Yufu cupped his hands and went out to greet them.

The distinguished guest came from the west. Golden clouds shone brightly in the sky, as if coating the heavens with a golden luster.

A man in a golden robe emerged from the void.

This person had round eyes and a wide mouth; his figure was slightly short and stout, yet he possessed an imposing bearing and regal majesty. He wore a golden robe, covered in swirling, pitted patterns forming strange designs, but it did not diminish his demeanor in the slightest.

Li Yufu’s pupils subtly contracted at the sight of the man. He offered a respectful bow from afar. “I did not know King Golden Toad was arriving. This humble Taoist failed to greet you from afar.”

The newcomer was precisely the King of the Golden Toad clan from the Demonic Sea.

The demons of the Demonic Sea and the demons of the East Sea had different customs. The kings of the Demonic Sea clans were all known as “King So-and-so,” and did not like outsiders to call them “Great Sage” or “Sacred King.”

In their view, being a clan king signified nobility.

Even when facing kings of smaller clans, the great clans would accord them the courtesy due to a king.

Among the Demonic Sea demons, the Dragon, Phoenix, and Golden Toad clans were once the strongest. King Phoenix perished in a heart demon tribulation when attempting to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, with no successor, causing the Phoenix clan to gradually decline. It was still a strong clan now, but inferior to the flourishing Flood Dragon and Golden Toad clans.

King Golden Toad’s strength was slightly inferior to King Flood Dragon’s, but still not to be underestimated.

“Haha, this king came uninvited. Sect Master Li, don’t mind the disturbance.”

King Golden Toad laughed loudly, his voice like thunder.

The laughter shook the Qingyang Sect disciples below, making their qi and blood churn. They looked up at the sky, but could only see a sky full of golden splendor.

Fortunately, the laughter quickly subsided. King Golden Toad landed before Li Yufu, cupped his hands in return, and then let out a soft “huh,” having seen True Lord Hegao emerging from the palace.

His eyes flashed, and he cupped his hands again. “Unexpectedly, Sect Master Hegao is also here.”

“This humble Taoist only just arrived, and the spiritual tea is still warm. How does King Golden Toad have leisure to travel?” True Lord Hegao asked curiously.

King Golden Toad did not conceal it, saying casually, “This king has been cultivating recently and luckily gained some insights, faintly feeling that I am about to break through a certain barrier. However, I lack an external medicine. I recall that Sacred King Dragonwhale treasures this medicine, so I specifically came to seek it. Hearing that Qingyang Sect is re-establishing its mountain gate, I came to offer my congratulations along the way.”

Hearing this, both Li Yufu and True Lord Hegao were surprised.

Examining King Golden Toad carefully, the two exchanged a subtle glance, then relaxed, sensing that King Golden Toad was likely still some distance from breaking through to the late Nascent Soul stage.

The emergence of late Nascent Soul stage powerhouses among the demon race was good for the entire Storm Realm, but not necessarily for humanity.

Humans lacked Daoist techniques, while demons could continue to advance, growing stronger and stronger. But because the external threat had not been eliminated, humans could not restrict demons and could only watch as they grew more powerful.

Sacred King Dragonwhale and King Flood Dragon’s cultivation was more profound than King Golden Toad’s. If even King Golden Toad could break through, it was very likely that three late Nascent Soul great demons would appear consecutively.

And humanity currently had only Immortal Fairy Liuli alone. One against three, the status of humans and demons would be completely reversed!

“Fellow Daoists, why don’t we speak inside the hall?” Li Yufu invited.

“No rush!”

King Golden Toad waved his hand, looked down, his gaze sweeping across the ground. A moment later, his eyes flashed. “What a magnificent great formation!”

True Lord Hegao smiled slightly. “This humble Taoist once said that once this formation is complete, it will be the foremost mountain-guarding formation in the world. Does King Golden Toad agree?”

King Golden Toad said, “We demons understand the way of formations far less than humans. True Lord’s discerning eyes are like a torch, so I presume it is accurate.”

“You are too modest, fellow Daoist,” True Lord Hegao shook his head, looking at Li Yufu. “Since it’s a coincidence today, why not ask for King Golden Toad’s opinion?”

“Oh?”

King Golden Toad looked between the two. “I wonder what the two fellow Daoists were discussing earlier?”

The three returned to the palace. Li Yufu ordered servants to bring fresh spiritual tea and repeated what had been discussed earlier.

King Golden Toad did not directly state his position. “To recuperate and reduce casualties among our young ones is a good thing. However, this king cannot make the decision alone. I must also ask for the opinions of King Flood Dragon and Sacred King Dragonwhale, two fellow Daoists.”

True Lord Hegao picked up the spiritual tea, took a sip, concealing the subtle glint that flashed in his eyes.

Among the most renowned great demon kings in the Storm Realm today, there was also King Yu of the North Sea. His cultivation was not as profound as these three, but he was also a regional demon king, with countless experts under his command and a powerful force.

King Golden Toad did not mention King Yu, but specifically singled out Sacred King Dragonwhale. Was he deliberately trying to show his closeness to Sacred King Dragonwhale in front of him?

In fact, Sacred King Dragonwhale was not particularly close to the Demonic Sea demons. Instead, he was closer to the human race of the Central Plains, having always been neighbors and thus understanding each other well.

One can know a person’s face but not their heart; being of a different race, who knew if Sacred King Dragonwhale had other hidden schemes?

True Lord Hegao secretly sighed that the situation was complex and felt it was increasingly tricky.

Previously, facing a common great enemy, everyone was like ants on a rope. At times of life and death, they naturally worked together, and other contradictions were hidden. Now that the situation had slightly improved, various signs were beginning to appear.

Just the three of them could not decide on any clear plan. Li Yufu’s purpose was also to spread the word through them.

True Lord Hegao drank a cup of spiritual tea and stood up to take his leave. “Sect Master Li, if you lack any resources, just send a letter, and this humble Taoist will send people to help prepare them.”

King Golden Toad also said generously, “This king also has some family assets. Sect Master Li, please don’t be polite!”

“This humble Taoist thanks both fellow Daoists in advance,” Li Yufu naturally wouldn’t take such words seriously. Their assistance would not come so easily.

True Lord Hegao glanced at King Golden Toad. “King Golden Toad, are you not coming with me?”

King Golden Toad chuckled, saying, “This king is curious about Qingyang Sect’s great formation and plans to observe it for a few more days, just worried that Sect Master Li might not welcome it.”

Li Yufu was surprised internally, but his expression remained normal as he said, “How could that be! This humble Taoist would be delighted. I was just about to ask King Golden Toad for advice on whether this formation has any flaws or omissions.”

“Haha, then this king won’t be polite…”

King Golden Toad indeed matched his words with actions. After seeing off True Lord Hegao, he informed Li Yufu and then flew down to the ground, inspecting without ceremony, even observing Qingyang Sect disciples at work.

However, the formation’s actual deployment had not yet truly begun, so there was no concern of him discovering anything substantial.

Li Yufu stood with his hands behind his back in front of the palace, watching King Golden Toad appear here and there, musing to himself, “This fellow is remarkably attentive…”

King Golden Toad’s actions were open and aboveboard, seemingly just out of curiosity, with no hidden agenda.

Thinking that his Martial Uncle was right behind the mountain, Li Yufu’s heart remained undisturbed. He quietly watched King Golden Toad’s performance.