Chapter 1449: Breaking Through the Formation

The “Two Spirits Heaven-Guarding Array” is a Level-nine defensive formation laid out by Patriarch Zhang. It is exceedingly difficult for even Saint 9-dan experts to breach. The array gathers power, forming the posture of a dragon and a tiger, which is why it is also known as the Dragon and Tiger Array. Its defects include: first, an immense consumption of spiritual energy; second, the array’s core is maintained by a dragon spirit and a tiger spirit, allowing for flexible variations but also making it susceptible to spiritual influences; third…

Information about the array and its defects flooded his mind.

There were a total of seventeen defects.

A Level-nine array already possesses its own independent spiritual essence. It is this spiritual essence that allows it to continuously grow stronger over time, much like a plant. Even with defects, they are not easily detected or exploited by ordinary people.

“An array of this caliber ranks among the top of Level-nine arrays…”

He hadn't realized its true power until he actually looked into it. Although he hadn't studied any Level-nine array books, the current array’s variations and power surpassed his imagination.

“Let me study it…”

Just as he was about to study it in detail, the old man who had spoken earlier approached him, cupping his fists.

“Sirs, please hand over your storage rings. Rest assured, we will seal them in front of you. We will neither open nor inspect them, and they will be immediately returned upon your departure…”

“Hand over our rings?” Zhang Xuan frowned.

His ring had never left his side. Being asked to surrender it before even entering the Zhang Clan was a bit too overbearing!

“Precisely. This is a rule of the Zhang Clan. To enter the array, you must seal your personal belongings. Don't worry, the Zhang Clan has everything you might need; you just need to familiarize yourselves with them, so there's no need to worry!” The old man nodded.

“This isn't a rule exclusive to the Zhang Clan. Some holy lands have similar restrictions. Outsiders must remove their rings, and sometimes they can't even bring in their own personal swords…” Seeing Zhang Xuan's displeased expression, Jian Qinsheng removed his own ring, gently offered it, and watched it fall into the elder's palm, nodding as he spoke.

He had been here before and knew the rules. It wasn't just the Zhang Clan; some holy lands, like the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, also required visitors to remove their rings before entering. Firstly, it represented respect; secondly, it eliminated potential risks and prevented unforeseen incidents.

It was said that a Master Teacher was once coerced by the Otherworldly Demons and used a folded space to house an army of demons, which resulted in devastating losses for a major power, almost leading to its complete annihilation. As the top clan on the continent, the Zhang Clan was no different from these holy lands. Even if they weren't afraid of such tactics, they still needed to be cautious.

“What if I don't want to leave it?” Seeing the elder take the ring and immediately seal it without inspecting it, Zhang Xuan still couldn't help but frown.

His ring contained the Cruel Practitioner's head, the Qiu Wu Palace ruins, and many other secrets—many of which could not be revealed! Although they claimed to seal it, if it wasn't on his person, unforeseen incidents could occur. Furthermore, if he were to have a conflict with them after entering, and they secretly searched his ring, he would undoubtedly face even greater trouble. It wasn't that he didn't trust them; it was that the Zhang Clan, in his impression, was simply too despicable to be worthy of trust.

“Visitors are guests, so it's fine if you don't wish to leave it. As long as you can pass the array-breaching trial without being attacked, you may bring your items inside!” The old man didn't get angry; instead, he maintained a calm expression. It seemed that many people preferred not to leave their rings. He had experienced this multiple times and was well-versed in handling such situations.

“Array-breaching?” Zhang Xuan asked.

“That's right. When the Zhang Clan's grand guardian array is activated, it can not only defend against powerful experts but also detect items containing spatial abilities. Such items are not allowed to enter. Forcibly bringing them in will result in suppression and attack, which even Saint 9-dan experts find hard to resist. Array-breaching means entering directly with these items!” Jian Qinsheng explained.

As they were speaking, another person arrived on a flying Saint Beast. Like Zhang Xuan, this person was unwilling to hand over their ring and charged towards the array.

“That's an elder from the Empire Alliance; his strength is comparable to mine!” Recognizing the man, Jian Qinsheng lowered his voice.

Whoosh! The moment the elder entered the array, blazing flames instantly erupted all around him. A crimson-golden flaming dragon descended from the sky, its sharp talons pressing down fiercely, as if it intended to crush space itself.

Unexpectedly, the array operated with such immense power. The elder's face couldn't help but show a trace of panic. He raised his wrist, and a long sword appeared, instantly releasing crisscrossing sword qi. It had to be said, this elder's strength was formidable. Even the Infernal Azure Dragon Beast would have to temporarily evade him and couldn't directly confront him. However, even so, he appeared too weak against the flaming dragon. In less than two exchanges, he was struck on the head, plummeting straight down from the sky to the ground, his body charred black. Under the assault of the flames, his storage ring also burst open, scattering treasures everywhere, many of which were severely damaged.

The array ceased its operation and returned to normal. An elder from the Zhang Clan approached with an impassive expression.

“With no ring, you can now enter freely…” After adjusting for a while and recovering some of his vital energy, the elder, with a grim expression, finally walked inside. Indeed, the array no longer attacked him.

“Teacher Zhang, just give them the ring. It's just a sword sparring match; they'll prepare suitable longswords for you, so there's no need to worry about a lack of weapons…” Seeing this scene, Jian Qinsheng's face also turned a little pale, and he turned to speak. The elder just now had similar strength to him, yet he couldn't even withstand two moves after entering the array, suffering a terrible defeat. Jian Qinsheng knew he would fare similarly if he entered. Even if Teacher Zhang's swordsmanship was profound, his cultivation was simply too far behind. If he insisted on forcing his way in, the outcome would surely be even worse!

“Hand over your ring, or attempt to breach it—the choice is yours. However, the Zhang Clan will not be responsible for the consequences!” The elder looked over again, his expression calm. He was confident that the young man before him knew how to make the right choice. Having just witnessed a Saint 8-dan super expert being mercilessly battered, he should understand that personal strength simply couldn't contend with the Zhang Clan's grand array.

“Not responsible for the consequences? Are you sure?” Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan looked up.

“I am certain!” the elder nodded.

“Are you authorized to make decisions?” Zhang Xuan continued to ask.

“Ahem, Teacher Zhang, this is Zhang Wuchen, the Third Elder of the Zhang Clan. He holds an esteemed position… If he says so, he can naturally make the decision!” Jian Qinsheng explained.

“The Zhang Clan's Third Elder? That's quite a high position…” Responding, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly: “Since you can make the decision, and you've also stated that the Zhang Clan won't be responsible for the consequences, then I've decided… I'll breach the array!”

Elders are ranked by their strength and authority. To be the Third Elder, this person's status within the Zhang Clan must be quite high, possessing considerable influence and decision-making power.

“Breach the array?” Jian Qinsheng's face turned pale with anxiety: “Teacher Zhang… think twice!”