I built the Jade Capital with the Netherworld

Chapter 208 A strange combination of circumstances
On Shattered Star Island, at the bottom of the sea, lies the Five Qi Dispelling Calamity Palace. Thirty-six dragon-embracing pillars support an ice crystal dome that resembles an inverted jade cup, shimmering brilliantly under the glow of luminous pearls.

Lu Jun sat at the head of the table, with dozens of humanoid monsters seated in the hall.

Everyone closed their eyes and meditated. Upon closer inspection, each figure appeared as fluid as water, seemingly real yet illusory.

Suddenly, a powerful demon opened its eyes and reported in a deep voice, "Master, there has been a defection on Ring Moon Island!"

Upon hearing this, the other powerful demons also opened their eyes and followed suit, saying, "There have been defections in Red Lake Bay as well." "And in Lotus Island as well..."

The sounds rose and fell, mingling and buzzing throughout the hall.

Lu Jun took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and said with a calm expression: "By using the Pool of Immortal Birth to revive the dead, the Celestial Court's move has almost cut off the source of troops for my eighteen sea regions."

All the demon clones in the hall remained silent.

Despite the extensive propaganda campaign launched in the 18 sea areas, defections still occur from time to time.

Those who can enter the Tao are not fools. Truth and falsehood may deceive for a time, but they can never deceive forever.

These people come for longevity, and they can also leave for rebirth.

“Master, the East Sea is now entirely in your hands, and you are already in an invincible position. Why seek troops from the Nine Paths? Why not use sea monsters as your army and humans as your livestock? With the East Sea as your backing, you can defend when you need to retreat and attack when you need to advance. Once you have conquered the world, evil will become good.”

“That’s right. The Celestial Court has only eight or nine fourth-grade cultivators, far fewer than my eighteen sea regions. What is there to fear? We should take advantage of our abundant lifespan and launch a decisive battle.”

"No! This move is too risky. We don't need to care about Wujiu, that old thief, but we must be careful about the opinion of the Jade Emperor. The master is currently raising the banner of 'purging the court of corrupt officials' in order to win the favor of the Jade Emperor. If we rashly launch a decisive battle and cripple the Nine Paths, I'm afraid the Jade Emperor will not be pleased."

"..."

For a time, the demons all expressed their opinions and offered suggestions.

Lu Jun remained silent.

In the eyes of the demons, his goal was to enter the celestial palace and become king.

Little did they know, his ambitions and appetites were even greater.

He didn't tell anyone about his plan to refine the world, not even the siren who was completely under his control.

Therefore, in his view, the purpose of this standoff was not to win or lose, but to buy time.

The thought of delaying things made Lu Jun feel a pang of heartache. The loss of the heart from the fire spirit's remains had slowed down his progress in refining the world once again.

He needs to buy time right now!

So, is it a matter of offense over defense?
Or a full-scale defense?

Amidst a multitude of thoughts, a sea monster suddenly spoke:

"Master, someone wants to see you!"

"Who?"

He claimed to be... a visitor from the Middle Kingdom.

……

……

"Starry Sky Locking Spirit Array..."

At the Celestial Master's Mansion, Lu Wujiu received the jade slip handed to him by the Southern Ming True Man. He scanned it with his divine sense, and his gaze sharpened.

Master Nanming explained: "The East Sea is vast, spanning tens of millions of miles. Not to mention the Nine Paths, even the Central Plains could not construct such a massive array. Only by relying on the celestial constellations and using the Luoshu array to reflect the celestial constellations in the East Sea, and by borrowing their divine power, can we draw upon the power of the Taiyin star to suppress the East Sea. When the array is completed, it will be the moment when the East Sea freezes and is refined."

Lu Wujiu looked up and asked, "Then why is it necessary to use the blood and sweat of the Nine Armored Cultivators as a catalyst?"

Master Nanming calmly said, "The East Sea has already been refined. When it is refined again, if we use the power of the sea eye, the chances of breaking free are extremely high! The blood of the Nine-Armor cultivators is a great tonic, but also a great poison. If it is dripped into the East Sea, it can disturb their minds and poison their consciousness, thus buying them time."

Lu Wujiu sneered: "Where am I supposed to find the blood and sweat of the Nine-Armor cultivators?"

Nanming Zhenren remained silent, his gaze unconsciously drifting towards the direction of Lingxiao Palace, causing Lu Wujiu's pupils to shrink sharply.

This was clearly an implication that he should seek help from the Jade Emperor!

“The lifeblood is the foundation of a cultivator, and its importance is no less than that of the soul. You have quite the audacity.”

"Fellow Daoist, you want to destroy Lu Jun, but you also want to lure my true form out. Under these circumstances, I have no choice but to take a risky move!"

"Besides the ninth-grade cultivators, would the seventh or eighth-grade cultivators be acceptable?"

"The path of cultivation lies in accumulating years and months. It takes three hundred years to achieve a clear understanding of one's roots and bones, which is called the Dao Body. After five hundred years, the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth manifests in the Dantian, condensing like a pearl or jade, perfectly round and flawless, which is called the 'Golden Elixir'. Its blood and essence are stained with the traces of the Great Dao, which is both a great tonic and a great poison. Below the level of the Nine Jia, it is only a great tonic and has no great poison."

Lu Wujiu remained silent upon hearing this.

Three hundred years is the time it takes to reach the fifth level of cultivation.

As for Jiujia, with 540 years of cultivation, he was at the time of condensing his golden core.

"I see!"

Lu Wujiu took a slight breath and waved his hand.

Master Nanming bowed and left.

Lu Wujiu looked at the jade slip in his hand, his figure flashed, he disappeared from the Immortal Palace and appeared in the Flowing Sand Sea.

After quickly determining the direction, he headed towards Qianni City.

Upon entering the city, he went straight to Wansheng Restaurant. The head manager, having heard of his arrival, came over with a beaming smile and bowed respectfully: "Sir, it's been a long time. How have you been?"

"Very good, very good." Lu Wujiu gave a perfunctory reply before getting down to business: "May I ask, shopkeeper, is it possible to find someone proficient in formations?"

The head manager smiled and said, "Qianni City is a major commercial hub in the Flowing Sand Sea, attracting merchants from all over. As long as you have money, you can find anything."

"Really? What happened to the Nine Armored Cultivators' hard work?"

The head shopkeeper's expression froze, and he said awkwardly, "Sir, you are joking. Such a rare item can only be found by the Xuanmen sect of the Western Regions."

A hint of disappointment flashed in Lu Wujiu's eyes, and he casually said, "This humble Taoist needs to identify some magic arrays. Does the shopkeeper have anyone to recommend?"

The head manager laughed and said, "Of course!"

Lu Wujiu was overjoyed and was about to discuss the commission issue when, unexpectedly, the head manager said:
"Let's not talk about commission yet. Formations and alchemy are always precious, and these powerful figures all have their own eccentricities. If you trust me, how about you provide some formations first, and I'll send them over to you for your approval before we discuss the rest?"

Lu Wujiu pondered for a moment, then nodded with pleasure.

He then copied down part of the Starry Sky Locking Spirit Array and handed it to the head manager before gracefully departing.

After leaving Wanshenglou, he inquired about the purpose of Jiujia's blood.

To be honest, he suspected that the Nine Jia's blood essence was not needed at all, and that the Southern Ming Master was deliberately taking advantage of the situation for personal gain.

However, if one is to use public office for private gain, wouldn't it be better to set up more medicinal materials and use medicine making as a cover to hide the necessary items inside?
Therefore, he suspected that the Nine Jia Heart's Blood was just a cover-up, and the problem lay with the Starry Sky Locking Spirit Array.

This was the fundamental reason why he immediately sought to learn about the Star Locking Spirit Array.

Sure enough, after some investigation, he discovered that the use of Jiujia Heart Blood was just as Nanming Zhenren had said: this substance was both highly nourishing and highly poisonous.

This substance is highly nourishing for those who share the same interests or have special methods of refining it.

The rest are highly poisonous.

I wouldn't dare say that touching it would mean certain death, but it might also pollute the Great Way.

"Master Nanming, I suspect you have ulterior motives!"

Lu Wujiu shook his head, just as he was about to patiently wait for Wanshenglou's reply, when unexpectedly, as the sun began to set, the head manager sent a message: "The masters of array formations have arrived, sir, please come quickly."

Upon seeing this, Lu Wujiu immediately rushed over.

Upon entering Wansheng Tower, guided by a servant, we walked through corridors and alleys until we reached the depths of the tower. In a luxuriously decorated courtyard, we found... a courtyard full of cultivators!
These people have varying levels of cultivation, ranging from the lowest to the highest level.

They gathered in small groups, some sitting, some standing, whispering among themselves.

When Lu Wujiu arrived, everyone's eyes turned to him.

The head manager hurried over and whispered, "Sir, your magic array seems extraordinary! I only showed it to two or three people, but it attracted a large group."

As he was speaking, the highest-ranking cultivator from the Fifth Rank, Wu Jia, came over and bowed, saying, "You must be Mr. Lu?"

Lu Wujiu returned the greeting: "Indeed!"

"I am Xi Tianzong, the sect master of Shitong Sect. I heard that you possess a strange magic array, so I have come to take a look. I apologize for any inconvenience caused!"

"Long admire!"

"I am Qin Ye, and I have come to see your extraordinary formation after hearing about it."

Another cultivator of the fourth rank bowed in greeting.

After some conversation, Lu Wujiu learned that almost all the cultivators in the courtyard were disciples and grand-disciples of these two.

In fact, the head manager of Wanshenglou didn't look for these two people at all, but instead looked for their disciples and grand-disciples. They couldn't understand what was going on, so they had to call in a large group of people.

Seeing this, Lu Wujiu was about to ask the price when Xi Tianzong and Qin Ye both said that setting up and breaking formations was a business, but now that they had come to observe, it was for learning, so how could they ask for money?

Lu Wujiu smiled, feeling like he had gotten a good deal, and casually took out two jade slips and handed them over.

"How come it's just a remnant of the army?"

"This formation involves significant interference, and we dare not reveal its full extent. We hope you two will understand."

Lu Wujiu said.

"……All right!"

Xi Tianzong and Qin Ye exchanged glances, somewhat displeased... To be polite, it really is a rare commodity that can be sold at a high price.

However, when they looked closely, their expressions froze, and they fell silent.

His disciples and followers were so anxious that they stood by and watched helplessly.

After a long while, the two withdrew their divine senses and handed the jade slip to their disciples and grand-disciples.

Lu Wujiu asked, "How is it?"

Xi Tianzong and Qin Ye exchanged a glance. Xi Tianzong said, "This formation is extremely complex. Even if it is an incomplete formation, it will take time to comprehend it. I hope you will be patient and wait for me."

Lu Wujiu said, "It's alright!"

He thought to himself, "The Southern Ming Master is indeed a preacher. Could it be that he dared not practice other paths and instead maxed out his skills in unorthodox methods like alchemy and array formation?"

With these thoughts in mind, it wasn't long before all the array masters in the courtyard fell into deep thought.

Some people sat cross-legged, deep in thought;
Someone paced back and forth, muttering to himself.

Some people were examining the jade slip back and forth, scratching their heads in frustration.

Seeing this, Lu Wujiu did not disturb them and waited silently.

This wait lasted a full day and night. The head manager of Wansheng Restaurant had long since grown impatient and left, leaving only a few servants to keep watch.

Fortunately, Lu Wujiu was a cultivator, and a day and a night was just the time it took to take a nap; otherwise, he probably wouldn't have been able to bear the loneliness.

At noon on the third day, Qin Ye was the first to open his eyes. His face was slightly pale, but he showed a relieved smile. When faced with Lu Wujiu's probing gaze, he looked at Xi Tianzong and remained silent.

Lu Wujiu understood and didn't press the matter.

In the afternoon, as the sun set, Xi Tianzong finally opened his eyes and said, "This formation is truly extraordinary! Brother Qin, have you gained anything from it?"

Qin Ye, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, opened them upon hearing this. After a moment of confusion, he calmly replied, "I have some understanding of it."

"Oh, how about we carve the seal together?"

"Right on my mind!"

The two then engraved the results on two jade slips and handed them to Lu Wujiu.

Lu Wujiu took it, glanced at it, and smiled, "The results of your comprehension are quite similar. It seems that the function of this formation has been revealed."

Qin Ye replied, "Sir, you are mistaken. The way of formations is nested in layers. This incomplete formation shows six layers of nesting. If it were a complete formation, there might be formations hidden within formations. If you want to determine its majesty, you can only comprehend the entire formation. Otherwise, even if you disassemble and investigate it, you may still be deceived."

Lu Wujiu smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist is right. However, it is already late today. I think we should choose another day to observe."

Xi Tianzong and Qin Ye exchanged a glance. They wanted to see the whole picture, but their pride as array masters prevented them from lowering their guard, so they could only say, "Alright!"

"Thank you both, farewell!"

Lu Wujiu bowed in greeting, then turned and left.

As he turned around, Lu Wujiu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. There was no problem with the magic array. The comprehension results submitted by Xi Tianzong and Qin Ye were exactly the same as those in Nanming Zhenren's instruction manual.

If he wasn't mistaken, it was the existence of the "Underworld Emperor" that prevented the Southern Ming Master from taking any rash actions.

Now we can proceed with the arrangements with peace of mind.

……

After Lu Wujiu left, Xi Tianzong and Qin Ye had a private argument, and then went back to their respective homes.

However, not long after Qin Ye left, he sent out an encrypted message.

At night, it is midnight.

He was in his study, deducing formations, when the bright moonlight shone through the window, casting a silhouette. Startled, he quickly put down the jade slip, cupped his hands, and said:

"Your subordinate Qin Ye pays respects to Your Excellency."

"Is that Star Array still there?"

Qin Ye quickly handed over the jade slip he had just deduced.

From the shadows, countless white worms immediately emerged, swallowed the jade slip whole, and retreated into the shadows: "Why do you think this formation is related to the Lonely Mirage Ruins?"

Qin Ye said in a low voice:
"The hidden array in the Lonely Mirage Ruins proves that the Flowing Sand Sea was once the Western Sea of ​​the Central Plains. If it was the Western Sea, why has it become a barren land? I have never understood this until today when I saw the Star Array. I suddenly realized that the reason why the Flowing Sand Sea is covered with yellow sand is probably because the Western Sea was refined by a powerful being and lost its eye, so naturally no water grows."

"If this conjecture is true, then the Lonely Mirage Ruins are very likely the eye of the magic array, and the magic array in the hands of the man surnamed Lu will be of great reference value! It may even be the culprit that caused the desertification of the Western Sea."

After he finished speaking, the study fell silent.

It is widely believed that the Flowing Sand Sea was caused by the siphoning of the spirit-gathering array in the Western Regions and the Central Plains. However, Qin Ye knew that this was not just an absurd statement of hatred towards the Western Regions and the Central Plains!
After all, if the Spirit Gathering Array truly possesses such power, then how can we explain the East Sea, which is also rich in spiritual energy?
"Where is that guy surnamed Lu?"

"It is said that he is a major client of Wanshenglou, and perhaps we have his contact information."

"...Wanshenglou".

The silhouette on the study wall murmured a sentence, then gradually faded away, leaving only one sentence: "You did a good job! Do not move around in the coming days, and be prepared to explore the Mirage of the Lonely Palace at any time."

Qin Ye lowered his head and said, "Your subordinate obeys!"

(End of this chapter)