The entire sect is obsessed with love, but I'm the only one who's truly insane.

If Meng Ling's previous request for help from the Supreme Sect was merely based on the idea that the Supreme Sect had excellent credibility, now that she has seen the desolate mountain array that Lin Du initially set up, she is completely glad that she chose Lin Du.

"When I dismantled your formation in that forest earlier, I thought your formation skills were on par with mine." Meng Ling paused, watching Lin Du's back as he moved through the formation.

"Now I admit it, your skill in array formations is superior to mine."

Even if he came for three or four days, he still couldn't break through the formation completely. It wasn't that those who entered the formation were weak; it was that all the attacks from these powerful individuals would be converted into the formation's defensive power.

Only a formation master with superior abilities to Lin Du could break through it.

Lin Du looked at him with curiosity. "There's no need to be so modest. Sister Jin Rui told me that you were the one who designed this array."

She didn't immediately see through the formation inside; she only confirmed the various formations after dismantling it.

Meng Ling smiled shyly, "I'm so ashamed, please excuse my poor performance."

Lin Du nodded. "That makes things easier. I don't know if you've noticed, but your array plate has a flaw: in complex, overlapping states, energy detection is inaccurate. But it's actually easy to fix. Different arrays have different energy fluctuations, and even when they're overlapping, there will be fluctuations. Just split the connecting silver threads on the Xuanjin stone inside in two, and then connect each thread to one..."

As Meng Ling listened, she disassembled the array plate herself and began to study it with Lin Du. After a long while, she suddenly realized, "Oh, I see."

Lin Du raised his voice and turned to continue measuring the formation here.

After they had finished measuring and drawing the map, and returned to the territory of the Lianheng Sect, Meng Ling finally reacted.

"No, how did Lin Du know about my internal structure?"

Jin Rui laughed. "You didn't just find out now? She told me a while ago that she took it apart because she felt there was a problem, and found a great way to improve it. I told her that you made this array and asked her to talk to you again."

Meng Ling's face fell, feeling that what she was so proud of was insignificant in front of Lin Du.

"She also said that the person who designed this formation must be a very pragmatic formation master, which is why it fits all the information that a formation master wants to detect. She is a person who can do great things."

Jin Rui nudged her senior with her elbow, "How about I have her praise it again in front of you?"

Meng Ling awkwardly suppressed her smile and replied dryly, "No need."

Lin Du and the other three had already laid out the formation diagram.

The twenty-five array diagrams were laid out according to their directions, occupying a large area on the flat ground.

When viewed together, even the formation masters could see the big problem.

Lin Du suddenly took out a pen and made a mark at the location of the Thousand Demon Insects.

"Twenty-six," someone murmured softly.

"One more is needed." Meng Ling also understood the meaning of Lin Du's stroke. "We're missing this last one, which is the final eye of the great formation."

Jin Rui couldn't help but gasp, feeling a chill run down her spine. "Asura's Devastation, Thousand Stars' Soul-Stealing, Thousand Demons' God-Refining, so it's... the Twenty-Seven Fiends Formation?"

Lin Du looked at it for a while, then exclaimed, "A ruler!"

Another array master quickly handed the ruler to Lin Du.

Lin Du bent down, used a ruler to compare and contrast, and quickly drew the most crucial core of the great formation, which was also the most important thing they had been unable to find.

"It's here!" Lin Du's eyes were firm and fierce as he heavily placed the brush on a single spot.

The wolf-hair brush, soaked with nearly dried ink, was pressed firmly onto the Xuan paper, carrying a stroke of thick ink that seemed to seal the fate of the world, and it also firmly imprinted itself on the hearts of everyone present.

"They want..."

"Refine us." Meng Ling was startled by her own conclusion, a dry, choked feeling rising in her throat.

Outside the water mirror, the actions of Lin Du and his two companions in recent days have aroused suspicion from everyone.

At first, some people joked, "Could it be that the array masters want to have a competition to see who can break more arrays?"

But as more and more diagrams were drawn, those who had noticed something amiss could no longer laugh.

Just as Feng Chao arrived, Lin Du was finishing the final stroke on the array diagram.

She looked up and pinpointed Lin Du's figure with unparalleled accuracy among the many images, then anger flashed in her phoenix eyes.

"Have those old guys had enough of living this year?"

The leader of the Lianheng Sect had already walked to the front of the stage the moment his disciple approached Lin Du.

"I know my disciples well; they are cautious and wouldn't act rashly, so it's impossible for them to make a mistake. Given such a huge blunder, we strongly demand that the match be stopped!"

Yuheng clenched his fists, and the moment the array was unfurled, his anger exploded. "They are the future of Zhongzhou! All thirty-nine of them are currently on the Azure Cloud Ranking! Don't tell me that Zhongzhou lost so many geniuses overnight because you wanted to see the Azure Cloud Ranking filled by alien races?"

As early as when Lin Du began to explore, some powerful figures wanted to interrupt the competition, but the formation had not yet been activated, and perhaps it would never be activated. If they forcibly stopped it, the entire Dongming Realm would know tomorrow that Zhongzhou could allow demons to bully it at such a grand event.

What will happen next?

Was it an invasion?

On the stands, the cacophony of discussions drowned out the whispers of those within the barrier.

"Your Excellency...didn't you say it was just about tampering with things in the secret realm to embarrass these high-minded spiritual cultivators from Central Continent? Why do those sect leaders all seem to be huddled together talking, looking like something terrible has happened?"

"This isn't a disaster, it's a wonderful thing!" Qianyu laughed. "Wonderful! This money was well spent, absolutely worth it! Where is Elder Ba? Tell him there will be a generous reward when we get back!"

The man lowered his eyes, concealing the barely perceptible anger and suspicion in them, but when he looked up, he had already regained his usual flippant and playful demeanor.

"But that Thousand Demon Worm shouldn't have been exposed so early."

"It was just an accident. Isn't it good to scare them a little? They were going to be scared sooner or later anyway."

"So, shall we make our entrance now? What's that line from the storybook again? A dazzling entrance?"

Wei Zhi looked thoughtfully at the group of people in the distance. The loud noise around him was a bit jarring, and he frowned almost imperceptibly.

These demons...

It seems his aunt, who hasn't been seen in public for a long time, is going to be quite annoyed this time.

Why don't we lend a hand?

"The competition is suspended now, immediately." Feng Chao made the final decision, his phoenix eyes sweeping over the group of people before him, his expression extremely cold. "I have already notified Immortal Venerable Yan Ye, he will arrive soon, don't make me say it a second time."

The other sect leaders nodded in agreement. "There's no need to discuss this further. Just announce to the outside world that the final test will last for five days."

This was already the best possible ending. Just then, the scene reflected in the water suddenly stopped, and all the surrounding sounds seemed to be cut off.

Then a tall man in purple robes appeared in the arena, wearing a bronze mask with a blue face and fangs, exuding an arrogant and condescending aura.

The man was followed by a group of people dressed in various styles, none of whom wore masks, and all exuded a strong demonic aura.

With just that one appearance, everyone present recognized the person's identity.

The master of Fanqian City, now the supreme demon cultivator, although not on the Chongxiao Ranking, is said to be as powerful as the top three demon lords on the Chongxiao Ranking, Qianyu.

"Gentlemen, what are you waiting for? The real show has only just begun!"

The man looked at the angry faces before him, and a smile involuntarily crept up his lips beneath his mask.

This damn hatred, it's wonderful.

"Don't look at me like that. You can't open this secret realm, and the tens of thousands of people present here today won't want you to open it."

Qianyu, hands behind his back, smiled as he looked at the group of people before him. "Don't believe me? Let's make a bet?"

"What are we betting on? Are we betting that I can smash your head into the ground again this time? And then you'll play dead and burrow underground for three hundred years before daring to show yourself?"

A cold voice rang out in the air, followed by a slight ripple in space, and a cultivator in black robes with white hair appeared before everyone.

"You're not even as good as a dog." Yan Ye spat out the words, launching a merciless taunt at Qian Yu.

Qian Yu remained calm upon seeing Yan Ye appear, and sneered, "You blind bastard, you've finally arrived? Perfect timing, your precious little apprentice is also in the secret realm, trying to break my formation. Shall we make a bet?"

A dark glint flashed in Yan Ye's gray eyes before landing on Qian Yu. "You think you're worthy to gamble with me?"

The water mirror suddenly started moving again, releasing all the sounds inside.

Qianyu's voice was tinged with laughter, "Listen, what is your little apprentice saying?"

Amidst the cacophony of voices, Lin Du's voice still reached Yan Ye's ears clearly.

"They want to refine our Central Plains disciples? Those demons don't even deserve it!"