Immortality and cultivation begin with full comprehension.

Chapter 649 The Imperial Court's Actions: Tearing Off the Mask (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Li Yunjing was completely focused on repairing the array patterns of the "Horn" and "Kang" constellations.

A faint golden light flowed from his fingertips, and every array pattern he drew was incredibly precise, as if resonating with the stars.

For the past three months, he has barely slept or rested, and his entire being has been under immense pressure.

Fortunately, Xiao Yuntian bestowed upon him the "Nourishing Spirit Pill," whose effects were long-lasting, which allowed him to persevere.

The other array masters were in similar condition, their faces pale, but their eyes gleaming with fanaticism.

Being able to participate in the restoration of an ancient formation like the "Nine Heavens Cloud Movement Wind and Thunder Formation" is both a challenge and a tremendous opportunity for them.

If successful, everyone will make great progress in their array cultivation!

Li Yunjing can guarantee that at least half of the people present will become Grandmasters of Array Dao in the future!

This is the benefit of participating in top-tier array research!

This can be considered a hidden benefit, and it is also an important factor that makes the various array masters willing to offend the imperial court and help Xiao Yuntian.

Finally, the moment the last array pattern fell, the entire star chart suddenly lit up with a dazzling light!

The array patterns of the Twenty-Eight Mansions were activated simultaneously, the starlight flowed and intertwined, forming a vast star map.

A vast amount of stellar power poured down from the dome and into the array plate.

The entire "Purple Cloud City" was shrouded in starlight, as if it had become a cosmic space, with the outside world isolated by starlight for thousands of miles away!
This strange phenomenon alarmed hundreds of millions of people in the city!
Even those from neighboring cities near "Zixiao City" witnessed the spectacular sight there.

Soon, the news spread from city to city, eventually converging on the capital!
"Success!"

A flicker of excitement flashed in Xiao Yuntian's eyes, and his voice trembled slightly.

The thirteen array masters all showed relieved smiles, their tense nerves finally relaxing.

Li Yunjing let out a long sigh of relief, feeling completely drained and almost unable to stand.

"Thank you for your hard work!"

Xiao Yuntian solemnly bowed to everyone, saying, "Thanks to everyone's efforts, the Twenty-Eight Constellations have finally been repaired. The next steps, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals and the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends, will also require your help."

"sure!"

Everyone returned the greeting, expressing their determination to do their utmost.

"Everyone, please go back and rest for three days."

Xiao Yuntian nodded and said, "We will continue to repair the 'Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals' in three days."

Although he was anxious, he also knew that haste makes waste.

This is meticulous work; without peak mental state, it's easy to make mistakes, which would be extremely detrimental to one's grand plan.

Moreover, the events of the past few days have surely spread, and he still needs to figure out how to deal with the court's suppression.

Everyone took their leave, and Li Yunjing also left the "Star Gazing Tower" with the crowd.

Upon returning to his residence, Li Yunjing immediately shut himself in and slept for three days and three nights straight.

This time, it was purely mental work, and he was really exhausted.

On the very first day that Li Yunjing fell into a deep sleep, a starlight shield above "Zixiao City" appeared like an inverted glass bowl, enveloping the entire city.

During the day, sunlight filters through the starlight, gilding the city's buildings with a silvery edge; at night, the phantom images of the "Twenty-Eight Mansions" swirl on the protective shield, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

However, this stunning sight kept the powerful and wealthy in the capital restless and unable to eat or sleep.

"Report! A strange phenomenon has appeared in the direction of 'Purple Cloud City,' suspected to be the revival of an ancient formation!"

The sound of hurried footsteps broke the morning tranquility of the palace.

The eunuch who was delivering the message knelt outside the imperial study, his forehead pressed against the ground, the jade slip he held aloft trembling slightly.

"Xiao Yuntian has some nerve!"

Inside the imperial study, Grand Tutor Zhao Wuji crushed a jade slip, his face ashen: "How dare they privately repair the 'Nine Heavens Cloud Movement Wind and Thunder Formation'? Are they plotting a rebellion?"

“Three months ago, the ‘Observatory’ issued a warning that the stellar power in the direction of ‘Purple Cloud City’ was unusually active.”

The emperor, seated on the dragon throne, slowly opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing in them: "I didn't expect Xiao Yuntian to act so quickly."

"Your Majesty, this must be suppressed immediately!"

The Minister of War stepped forward, “Once the ‘Nine Heavens Cloud-Moving Thunder and Wind Formation’ is fully repaired, it can summon the winds and thunders of the nine heavens, and its power is enough to rival several Nascent Soul Realm True Monarchs. If Xiao Yuntian succeeds, the consequences will be unimaginable!”

"Indeed! The Xiao family is ambitious, actually wanting to replace my Zhao family and become the new rulers! It's utterly delusional!"

Prince Li, Zhao Wushuang, stepped forward with a ferocious expression and coldly said to the emperor, "Your Majesty, I am willing to lead a large army to wipe out the Xiao clan and exterminate all its members!"

"By imperial decree, Prince Li Zhao Wushuang and Grand Tutor Zhao Wuji are to lead the experts of the 'Heavenly Punishment Division' to 'Purple Cloud City' immediately and stop the great formation from being repaired."

The emperor lightly tapped the dragon table with his fingertips, pondered for a moment, and said, "At the same time, mobilize the Mighty Army, the Imperial Guard, and the Border Army, the three major legions, to form an encirclement and force Xiao Yuntian to abandon the repair of the great formation."

"The minister obeys the order!"

Zhao Wushuang and Zhao Wuji bowed and accepted the order, a ruthless glint flashing in their eyes.

……

While turmoil was brewing in the capital, jubilation reigned in Zixiao City.

People took to the streets, gazing up at the unprecedented spectacle. Children pointed to the sky and counted the stars, while vendors took the opportunity to sell "star amulets," claiming that being imbued with the power of the stars would ensure their safety.

Xiao Yuntian stood atop the "Star Gazing Tower," his hands behind his back.

The night wind blew his robes, making them flutter.

"My lord, our scouts report that the imperial court has dispatched Zhao Wushuang and Zhao Wuji, leading experts from the 'Heavenly Punishment Division'."

From the shadows behind him, a man in black knelt on one knee: "The Mighty Army, the Imperial Guard, and the Border Army are also being mobilized."

"It arrived a day earlier than expected."

Xiao Yuntian chuckled lightly, "Pass down the order to activate Level 2 alert. All cultivators above the Golden Core stage are to be on standby at any time. Also, notify the Chamber of Commerce Alliance to switch to wartime rationing for supplies."

"Yes!"

The man in black took the order and left.

Xiao Yuntian looked toward a house in the east of the city, where Li Yunjing lived.

He muttered to himself, "Vice Sect Leader Li, I'm afraid your sweet dream is about to be disturbed..."

At noon the next day, the first wave of imperial experts arrived outside "Zixiao City".

Twelve streaks of light pierced the sky and abruptly stopped a hundred feet away from the starlight shield.

The leader was dressed in purple-gold armor, with a ferocious thunder beast pattern embroidered on his chest.

It was none other than Mo Tianying, the deputy commander of the "Heavenly Punishment Division," a master at the fifth level of the Nascent Soul Realm!

"Xiao Yuntian!"

Mo Tianying's voice boomed like a bell, causing ripples to appear on the protective barrier. "Unauthorized repair of the ancient forbidden array is tantamount to treason! Quickly dismantle the array, leave the city and surrender, or you may save the entire city from being caught in the crossfire!"

The sound penetrated the protective shield and echoed throughout the city.

The people on the street were in a panic, the vendors were scrambling to pack up their stalls, and the cries of children could be heard everywhere.

"Commander Mo is mistaken."

Xiao Yuntian appeared on the city wall, dressed in white, facing Mo Tianying across the distance: "'Nine Heavens Cloud Movement Wind and Thunder Formation' was originally left by the ancestors of 'Purple Cloud City'. How can my repair of my own formation be considered treason?"

"Strong words!"

Mo Tianying sneered, "Under the heavens, all land belongs to the king. This ancient formation is of paramount importance; how dare you control it privately? This is your final warning: withdraw the formation!"

"If you insist on forcing your way in, then go ahead and try."

Xiao Yuntian shook his head and chuckled: "However, I still have to advise you that with your cultivation level, daring to break into the formation is simply courting death."

"court death!"

Mo Tianying roared, "Form the 'Heavenly Thunder Extermination Formation'!"

The twelve experts from the "Heavenly Punishment Division" instantly dispersed, each occupying a celestial position.

They formed hand seals and chanted incantations; in an instant, dark clouds gathered, and lightning flashed and thunder roared.

"fall!"

With Mo Tianying's command, twelve bolts of purple lightning, each as thick as a water bucket, descended from the sky and struck the starlight shield fiercely.

"Rumble..."

The deafening explosion shook the entire "Purple Cloud City".

The shield's surface shimmered with starlight, and the spot struck by lightning rippled violently, yet it remained unbroken.

The people in the city were terrified; some knelt down to pray, while others fled in panic.

The city guards have been mobilized to maintain order. Anyone who tries to cause trouble will be killed without mercy and executed on the spot!

"hehe!"

Xiao Yuntian remained expressionless, simply raising his hand slightly, and a beam of golden light shot into the star map above his head.

Instantly, the constellations "Horn" and "Kang" of the Twenty-Eight Mansions lit up at the same time.

These were the two array patterns that Li Yunjing had repaired.

The starlight converged into a beam, rushing upwards against the thunder!

"boom!"

With a crisp sound, the twelve bolts of lightning were shattered by the starlight!
The force of the recoil forced all twelve experts from the "Heavenly Punishment Division" to retreat, with three of them coughing up blood, clearly suffering internal injuries.

"how is this possible?"

Mo Tianying's expression changed drastically: "This formation is not even fully repaired, yet it already has such power?"

"Commander Mo, please return."

Xiao Yuntian stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering: "Unless a Nascent Soul Realm True Monarch arrives in person, this starlight shield cannot be broken."

"Arrogant!" Mo Tianying laughed angrily. "I'd like to see how long you can cower in fear!"

With that, he suddenly flicked his wrist, and a long, jet-black spear shot out with a whoosh.

The gun barrel was wrapped in blood-red patterns, exuding a chilling aura.

"It's the 'Soul-Devouring Spear'!"

On the city wall, a general from "Purple Cloud City" cried out in alarm, "My lord, be careful! This spear is specifically designed to break through all kinds of protective auras!"

"I never expected that the royal family would lend this item to Mo Tianying."

Xiao Yuntian's gaze sharpened, finally revealing a hint of seriousness.

He quickly formed hand seals, and several more array patterns lit up on the star map above his head.

Mo Tianying let out a long roar, his entire body merging with the black spear, transforming into a streak of dark light that pierced straight through the protective shield.

Wherever it passed, tiny cracks appeared in the space!
"Boom..."

With an impact ten times more violent than before, the starlight shield dented violently, and fine cracks even appeared on its surface.

Many buildings in the city collapsed due to the earthquake, and dust and smoke rose everywhere.

Xiao Yuntian grunted, his hands continuing to form hand seals. The constellations "Di," "Fang," and "Xin" lit up one after another in the star chart, the three stars intertwining into a net that firmly bound the black spear.

"roll!"

With a loud shout from Xiao Yuntian, the starlight suddenly contracted, sending Mo Tianying flying along with his gun!

This expert, at the fifth level of the Nascent Soul Realm, tumbled several times in the air before regaining his balance, his face alternating between pale and flushed.

"Well done! Well done, Xiao Yuntian!"

Mo Tianying gritted his teeth, "Today's humiliation will be repaid a hundredfold in the future!"

"If Commander Mo has the ability, please come again."

Xiao Yuntian stood with his hands behind his back and sneered, "I, Xiao, am ready to serve you at any time."

Mo Tianying glared at Xiao Yuntian and waved his hand, saying, "Withdraw!"

The twelve streaks of light disappeared as swiftly as when they arrived, but everyone knew that this was merely the calm before the storm.

"Immediately inspect the shield for damage and prioritize repairing the hit areas."

Xiao Yuntian turned to the people behind him and said, "In addition, strengthen patrols within the city to prevent spies from infiltrating."

He looked eastward, where dust and smoke billowed.

The imperial court's three major armies are approaching.

"The real test has only just begun..."

Xiao Yuntian muttered to himself.

"My lord, while many members of the 'Heavenly Punishment Division' are injured, shall we break out and take out a few of them?"

Xiao Han stood behind Xiao Yuntian, coldly looking out of the city, and said in a low voice.

"No need!"

Xiao Yuntian sneered, "Zhao Wuji and Zhao Wushuang are here! They've been hiding in the shadows, waiting for our men to come out so they can ambush us!"

"what!"

Xiao Han was startled and peered out, searching around for the location of the two experts.

"Keep the change, please!"

Xiao Yuntian waved his hand and sneered, "I've already located them. There's no rush. We'll deal with them slowly!"

"However, if their army were to surround us, it would greatly affect the morale of 'Purple Cloud City,' and wouldn't that impact our future endeavors?"

After pondering for a moment, Xiao Han expressed his thoughts.

Where are we now?

Xiao Yuntian shook his head and said calmly, "The imperial court is powerful. We should try our best to prolong the decisive battle and wait for the last bit of strength we have accumulated."

"Sigh... This is so frustrating!"

Xiao Han sighed and said viciously, "I really want to go down and kill all those royal lackeys!"

"No rush! The final battle will happen sooner or later."

Xiao Yuntian stood on the city wall, his eyes scanning the approaching dust and smoke in the distance with piercing intensity.

On the eastern horizon, banners fluttered as a massive, dark army surged forward like a tide, gleaming with a cold metallic luster in the sunlight.

"The vanguard of the border army has arrived."

Xiao Yuntian said softly, tapping his fingertips lightly on the blue bricks of the city wall, "Judging from this formation, at least 30,000 elite troops have arrived."

Xiao Han followed his lord's gaze and saw that the army in the distance was marching in formation, with the soldiers' steps being perfectly synchronized, and each step seemed to cause the earth to tremble slightly.

The soldiers in the front row held eighteen-foot-long spears, the tips of which gleamed coldly; behind them were uniformly dressed in heavy black iron armor, with ferocious dragon heads carved on their chests.

All the soldiers of the "Chang'an Dynasty" were cultivators. The army consisted of cultivators at the Qi Refining Realm, junior officers at the Foundation Establishment Realm, and commanders at the Golden Core Realm.

It can be said that such an army is already considered a first-class army in the cultivation world.

The Chang'an Dynasty was undoubtedly a powerful nation; otherwise, it wouldn't have been the country responsible for guarding the southern border of the Luofu Continent, standing in stark contrast to the Xuanbing Palace.

"My lord, the border army's 'Dragon Roar Battle Formation' should not be underestimated."

Xiao Han said in a low voice, "Back then, they used this formation to trap and kill a Nascent Soul Realm demonic cultivator."

"The border troops are responsible for suppressing the four directions, and they are already very powerful."

Xiao Yuntian nodded slightly, then turned his gaze northward: "As for the Imperial Guards?"

He paused, then said, "They are the most troublesome. They are the true elite of the 'Chang'an Dynasty,' far stronger than the army of my 'Zixiao City.'"

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out in the city.

Xiao Yuntian frowned, and his divine sense instantly covered the entire city.

At the market in the south of the city, several men in black were fighting with the city guards, and several civilians had been injured in the clash of swords.

"Sure enough, it's here."

Xiao Yuntian sneered, "Xiao Han, you handle it. Remember, leave them alive."

"Yes!"

Xiao Han's figure blurred, transforming into a black shadow as he sped towards the south of the city.

Xiao Yuntian continued to observe the movements outside the city, while simultaneously diverting a wisp of his divine sense to monitor the situation inside the city.

The many Nascent Soul Realm cultivators from "Purple Cloud City" did not show up, seemingly not considering the current situation a major issue.

These people are still following Xiao Yuntian's orders and making other preparations.

……

In the southern market, five men in black stood back to back in a sword formation, surrounded by seven or eight fallen city guards.

The leader of the men in black was a master swordsman, each thrust accompanied by a piercing sound as it cut through the air.

"'Purple Cloud City' is nothing special!"

The man in black grinned maliciously, cleaving aside an incoming arrow with his sword. "Brothers, kill a few more, let these lowly people know the consequences of rebelling against the imperial court!"

Before he could finish speaking, a dark figure appeared silently behind him.

"is it?"

Xiao Han's icy voice rang in his ears, and the man in black felt a chill run down his spine before he could even turn around.

A jet-black short sword had emerged from his chest, its tip untouched by blood.

"Big...brother!"

The other four men in black cried out in alarm, and the sword formation immediately fell into chaos.

Xiao Han drew his short sword, and the leader of the black-clad men collapsed to the ground.

He didn't even glance at the corpse, the short sword twirling between his fingers: "Surrender, or die."

The four men looked at each other in bewilderment. Suddenly, one of them pulled out a talisman from his robes: "For His Majesty!"

The talisman instantly ignited, transforming into a fire dragon that lunged at Xiao Han.

Meanwhile, the other three fled in different directions.

"Stubborn."

Xiao Han snorted coldly, and his figure split into four.

Three clones chased after the fleeing man, while the real body charged towards the fire dragon. The short sword drew a mysterious trajectory, cleaving the fire dragon in two with a single strike. Amidst the flying sparks, Xiao Han arrived before the talisman caster and struck his dantian with a palm.

"what!"

The man in black screamed, and his inner energy dissipated like a deflated balloon.

His cultivation has been destroyed!

Almost simultaneously, the three fleeing men in black also fell to the ground and were subdued by Xiao Han's clone.

"Take him away and interrogate him thoroughly."

Xiao Han gave instructions to the city guard commander who had arrived, then looked up at the sky and said, "It seems things won't be peaceful for the next few days."

Just as Xiao Han had predicted, seven riots broke out in the city in the next half day. Some people tried to sabotage the array nodes, some spies infiltrated the caravan set fire to the granary, and some even poisoned the well.

Fortunately, Xiao Yuntian was prepared, and each attempt was stopped in time.

These insignificant people didn't cause much of a stir!
However, everyone knows that among the hundreds of millions of people in "Zixiao City", there must be spies from the "Chang'an Dynasty", or even powerful figures!

(End of this chapter)