Chapter 672: Safety Passage

Within a thirty-mile radius of the Hundred Array Tower, numerous hidden arrays lurked, posing severe dangers. Only one path offered absolute safety: an archway formed by the branches of several crooked trees. Passing through it and continuing straight ahead was the sole way to safely reach the area outside the Hundred Array Tower. This specific path was for entry; exiting the area required a different route.

As Lu Ye landed, two cultivators were preparing to enter. The slight disturbance caused them to turn and glance at him, but they didn't pay much attention. Lu Ye was wearing his mask again, and he had placed Amber back into his Spirit Beast Bag. Although such a disguise sometimes proved ineffective, it was better than none at all.

The two cultivators had already walked through the archway of branches, their voices carrying back as they conversed. They were clearly both array cultivators, discussing a method for setting up an array. Each held differing opinions, believing their own method to be more effective, and they debated fiercely.

Though Lu Ye also cultivated the Array Dao, he hadn't had a similar experience since his exchange with Zhao Li of the Heavenly Deduction Sect back in the Spirit Stream Battlefield. He strolled leisurely behind the two, listening to their conversation, finding it quite amusing. However, their mastery of the Array Dao was clearly not very high. From Lu Ye's perspective, their debate felt like an adult watching children argue. He realized with a start that in terms of the Array Dao, he had already surpassed cultivators of his own level by a significant margin.

After walking several miles, the slightly shorter array cultivator among them suddenly fell silent, appearing deep in thought. His companion, seizing the opportunity, pressed him, "It seems Brother Qi has come to an understanding. My array-laying technique is more effective after all, isn't it?" The other's silence led him to misunderstand, believing his point had been conceded, and he became momentarily triumphant.

The cultivator surnamed Qi remained silent, merely turning to glance back at Lu Ye, who was following them. Then, he whispered to the cultivator surnamed Yu, "Brother Yu, did you notice that person just now?"

"What?" Brother Yu asked, confused.

"The one following us... Don't look back."

"What about him?" Brother Yu's mysterious tone made him nervous.

"Think carefully, doesn't he resemble someone?" Brother Yu prompted. He had been preoccupied with discussing arrays with Brother Qi, so even though he had seen Lu Ye at the entrance, he hadn't paid much attention. But as they walked, he suddenly realized something, which was the true reason for his silence, not that he had been convinced by Brother Qi.

Brother Qi racked his brain, but he had only taken a fleeting glance at Lu Ye and hadn't registered any details. How could he recall anything now? He whispered, "Brother Yu, stop being so secretive. Who is he?"

Brother Yu quietly said, "If I'm not mistaken, he should be Lu Yiye!"

Brother Qi's expression changed instantly. Even an array cultivator as engrossed in his craft as he had heard the name Lu Yiye of the Crimson Blood Sect recently. He also knew that many cultivators from the Myriad Devil Ridge were tracking Lu Yiye's whereabouts, though apparently with no concrete results. If the person following them was indeed Lu Yiye, things would become interesting.

"Brother Qi, are you sure you're not mistaken?"

"He's wearing a mask, so his true face isn't visible, but his build is very similar to what's rumored," Brother Qi replied.

"There are countless people with similar builds in the world."

"It's rumored that Lu Yiye is proficient in the Array Dao..." Brother Qi added.

Brother Yu's eyes lit up. "Yes, that's why he would come to the Hundred Array Tower!"

"Even if we're wrong, it's not a big deal; we can just apologize. But if he really is Lu Yiye, Brother Yu, we're going to get rich today!" Lu Yiye was only a fifth-stage cultivator, while they were a seventh-stage and a sixth-stage respectively. Teaming up, there was no way they'd let him escape.

With a shared glance, unspoken understanding passed between them. Both recognized the other's intent. Brother Qi suddenly stopped, pointing at an empty spot nearby. "Brother Yu, there's a killing array here. I wonder if you can discern its workings?" Whether there was a killing array there or not, he wasn't sure; he was merely speaking casually.

Brother Yu understood the implication immediately. He also stopped, gazing in that direction. "Let me see," he said aloud.

A dozen yards behind them, Lu Ye walked unhurriedly, a sigh escaping his heart. He knew that even with his mask, it was largely useless. From the looks of it, his whereabouts had been exposed again.

The two cultivators were still pointing at an empty patch of ground when Lu Ye walked past them. Just then, both fell silent. One of them suddenly produced a long halberd, and with a surge of spiritual power, thrust it directly at Lu Ye's back. The full power of a seventh-stage Cloud River Realm cultivator was unleashed, and the thrust produced a tearing sound in the air. The other, who appeared to be a spellcaster, conjured a golden light in his hand that suddenly elongated into a golden arrow. The arrow quivered slightly before also soaring through the air.

The halberd, thrust with full force, inexplicably missed its target, landing in empty space. The seventh-stage Cloud River Realm cultivator, surnamed Qi, hadn't even reacted to what had happened when he was stunned to see Lu Ye already within a yard of him. A fiery red blade light flashed across his vision. Immediately, his arm went numb, and a severed limb flew into the air.

"Ah!" a cry of surprise rang out. Brother Qi's face changed drastically, and he stumbled backward. However, Lu Ye's second strike was already unleashed. This blow angled upward along the other's halberd shaft, slicing through his neck. He then moved past Brother Qi's falling body, charging directly towards the cultivator surnamed Yu.

Only at this moment had Brother Yu just cast a golden arrow spell. Seeing Lu Ye approach like a charging tiger, the terrifying pressure made it difficult for him to breathe. He immediately sensed danger and, without thinking, moved his feet, drifting backward. Lu Ye's long blade descended. The enhancement of the Dual Peak Sharp Spirit Rune directly pierced through the man's protective spiritual power, leaving a massive wound across his chest. However, under the powerful impact, the man was also thrown out of the safe passage.

As if breaking through an invisible barrier, ripples spread, and the man's figure abruptly vanished. Lu Ye paused, hesitating for a moment, and did not pursue. The spellcaster had fallen into an area covered by an array, left by some array master at some unknown time. Rushing in without understanding the array's specifics would not be wise. The opponent had taken such a blow from him and fallen into an unknown array; he was likely doomed. Even if he had the energy to break the array, he might not find his way back.

Lu Ye sheathed his blade. Only then did Brother Qi's lifeless body finally collapse to the ground, fresh blood flowing freely, staining the earth. Lu Ye stepped forward, retrieved the storage bag and the spiritual artifact from his hand, then kicked the corpse out of the safe passage. The moment the body landed, a booming sound resonated. A tremendous heatwave, a violent roar, and dazzling fire light all indicated that an explosive array had been triggered.

Lu Ye was secretly alarmed. Although he had learned much about the area outside the Hundred Array Tower from the Heavenly Secret Chamber of Commerce's intelligence, knowing that everything beyond the safe passage was dangerous, he hadn't expected the situation to be so severe. Truly, hidden arrays were everywhere. The power of this explosive array was far greater than any he could set up. This wasn't to say that the array's creator was more skilled in the Array Dao than him; rather, this array had existed for a long time, accumulating a vast amount of energy, and its sudden detonation naturally unleashed terrifying power.

Continuing forward, only lingering crimson blood on the ground testified to the intense battle that had just occurred. The two cultivators, believing their cultivation was higher than Lu Ye's and that a combined sneak attack was a sure thing, hadn't known that Lu Ye had even killed an eighth-stage cultivator. A seventh-stage and a sixth-stage combined were indeed no match for him now.

After walking another ten miles, he finally arrived in front of the Hundred Array Tower. Here, there was a relatively safe area. Within a hundred-yard radius of the Hundred Array Tower, the location was absolutely safe.

Lu Ye looked around. A considerable number of cultivators were gathered there, and all of them were array masters. What put Lu Ye at ease was that some people, like himself, wore masks, which made him feel less conspicuous.

There was an unspoken rule at the Hundred Array Tower: regardless of one's background or origin, once here, everyone was considered an array master. Furthermore, no fighting was allowed within this area. This was because many array masters came here to cultivate diligently and comprehend the mysteries of the Array Dao; any fighting would inevitably disturb them. Not only was there no fighting, but even talking was kept to an absolute minimum. Thus, despite the large number of array masters gathered, the atmosphere was very peaceful and calm.

Some array masters sat alone, eyes closed in cultivation. Others sat in pairs, discussing the profound intricacies of arrays. Still others used arrays as a basis for sparring and competing. Most people didn't know each other's origins. Perhaps the two discussing array mysteries were from Myriad Devil Ridge and Vast Heaven Alliance, respectively. Compared to the larger environment of the Cloud River Battlefield, this place was practically a haven.

Even before Lu Ye had advanced to the Cloud River Realm and prepared to enter the Cloud River Battlefield, his second senior sister, Shui Yuan, had told him that the Cloud River Battlefield was far more complex than the Spirit Stream Battlefield. Without fixed sectarian strongholds, cultivators in the Cloud River Battlefield generally didn't know each other's faction allegiance unless they already knew each other. As a result, cultivators from opposing factions often had opportunities for peaceful coexistence, and sometimes even sincere cooperation.

However, for Lu Ye, it seemed only constant targeting and endless pursuit awaited him. Feeling the serenity here, Lu Ye couldn't help but sigh. When would he be able to enjoy the treatment a normal cultivator should have? But he also knew that this was ultimately a pipe dream; his name was already flagged by the major sects of the Myriad Devil Ridge. Countless eyes were on him. When people from the Myriad Devil Ridge encountered him, their only thought was to kill him, or call for backup to kill him!