"And what happen after we ambush them?" Shi Qingxuan asked.
Xie Lian and Hua Cheng had already positioned themselves at the center of the human array.
"After that, just leave it to us. We'll be here inside the array to take care of them, and we'll make sure we don't spare a single one. All we need is time. The most important thing is that we ensure they don't scatter. Before, I said there might be danger because we don't have a full five hundred people, so it's hard to say whether the circle will hold and prevent the creatures from breaking loose."
Someone swallowed hard and asked, "Wh-what will happen if they break out of the circle?"
"It won't be pretty," Xie Lian replied. "The vengeful spirits will possess you, and you'll be the first to catch the plague…" "If… I'm just saying, if someone lets go and runs away, what would happen?"
"If the circle is broken, the vengeful spirits might possess the runner as well," Xie Lian said.
"So the spirits will possess them either way!"
The smarter folks understood and explained, "It's different. The former is a guarantee that the spirits will possess and infect you; the latter is a maybe. Meaning, there might still be a chance for survival if you were to let go and run away."
"That's it exactly," Xie Lian said. "So does anyone want to leave? You absolutely cannot back out once things begin, but it won't matter who leaves before we start. I hope no one will say anything to those who decide to do so;
this is a dangerous task, after all."
It was something that had to be said—otherwise, they wouldn't truly have a group made only of people brimming with courage and determination.
Sure enough, the circle shrank a little a moment later as a few dozen backed out, leaving hurriedly one after the other with their heads bowed.
"Thank goodness." Xie Lian sighed a breath of relief.
"How's that good?!" Shi Qingxuan exclaimed. "We've got fewer people now."
Xie Lian smiled. "There are plenty of people here; this is better than I had imagined."
He had been solemnly deliberating what should be done if half their number left, but they'd only lost a few dozen; it was a welcome surprise.
A voice could suddenly be heard in the distance. "Hold it! Do you know who those people are? You can't trust them so easily! Careful not to get yourselves murdered!"
Xie Lian looked back and saw that it was Heaven's Eye and company.
"And who the heck are you people?" Shi Qingxuan groused. "Don't add to the problem if you're not planning to help. I promise none of them will harm a soul."
Of course, the band of spiritual masters cared nothing for the words of a filthy, unkempt beggar. "And who the heck are you? How many pennies do your words cost?"
When Shi Qingxuan heard them insult him like that, his anger rolled up. He pointed at his own face. "Hah? You're goin' on about money in front of me? I don't think you know who you're talking to! I bet you've even prostrated before this…cough cough…" He trailed off and then shrank back, coughing. The band of spiritual masters assumed that he couldn't keep bluffing anymore and retreated of his own accord, so they stopped caring.
Instead, they urged the crowd, "None of you know what those two are planning! You risk losing your lives for a small bite to eat!"
Xie Lian was about to explain that the beggars were there to help for friendship and justice, not a free meal, but before he could, Hua Cheng spoke up languidly.
"That's not true. They're not here for food, they're here to save the world."
Xie Lian was a little puzzled. Why would Hua Cheng tell them that?
However, the masters scoffed.
"What? Save the world? What kind of blind fuss are you trying to kick up? Just worry about yourselves!"
"Yeah, there's no need for a bunch of beggars to get involved. Go away and stop adding to the trouble."
"Oh? So you mean to say that beggars can't save the world?" Hua Cheng retorted idly. "Is it because they don't have the ability, or because they're not worthy?"
The beggars immediately grew rowdy at this, extreme displeasure coloring their expressions.
"That's not what we said!" Heaven's Eye exclaimed angrily.
Shi Qingxuan poked his head out again and pointed at him. "Hey, hey, hey, I heard it myself! Isn't that exactly what you meant? And you sounded so scornful too. Right, everyone?!"
"Yeah! What did you mean by that?! How are we not worthy?!"
"They'll feed us whether we help or not! Do you really think we only came here for the food?! Stop looking down on us!"
Xie Lian turned to look at Hua Cheng, who arched his brows at him with a look that said, "That was child's play."
So that was why he said it, Xie Lian thought.
Although plenty of people had remained in the circle, they weren't particularly determined. So when Heaven's Eye and company had unintentionally shown their disdain—all but saying, "Filthy beggars like you are useless in such matters"—Hua Cheng seized upon it and magnified it to incite the beggars' rebellious spirits. "You think we're useless? Now we're dead set on proving that we've got what it takes too!"
Their battle spirits surged. Both sides were yelling at each other, and Xie Lian addressed Heaven's Eye and his entourage.
"If you're really worried, you can stand by and watch. That way, you can easily stop us if we do anything bad."
Next to him, Hua Cheng added, "But be sure you don't get in the way, m'kay?"
"…" This band of spiritual masters had trailed Xie Lian and Hua Cheng the entire time and finally mustered the courage to jump out and take action, but Hua Cheng's frightening fake smile quickly terrified them into submission.
Hua Cheng turned back to Xie Lian. "Gege, look at the sky."
Xie Lian looked up with him. The black shadows in front of the full moon were now more distinct as if they had quietly snuck closer. While Xie Lian spent time seeking help, the black night crept along, and now the creatures were on the verge of descending!
Oh no, Xie Lian thought, his heart lurching. We're out of time to find more people!
But he didn't allow this to show on his face as he urgently cried, "Everyone, get in position! Hold on tight!"
Shi Qingxuan was already standing at attention. "Your High— Ol' Xie, we don't have very many people. Won't the spirits break through quickly?"
He'd avoided Xie Lian's title at the last second, since using it might've caused confusion—and unnecessary trouble. This was the Mortal Realm, after all.
"I will stand guard here and keep a constant watch, and I'll reinforce any spot on the array that risks being breached," Xie Lian replied. "That will buy us some time."
Basically, he would fix the leaks as they appeared.
"Uhh, w-well then, our lives are in your hands. Including mine, Your High…Ol' Xie," Shi Qingxuan replied. "You gotta work hard, all right?
Work very hard! I'm a mortal right now!"
"All right, Ol' Feng, I'll give it my all."
Everyone's palms were sweaty, and everyone's faces were tense. Just after they all tightly clutched each other's hands, shrieks rang out in the silent night sky. The noises came closer and closer, faster and faster!
They had come!
Seizing the right timing, Xie Lian instructed, "Everyone, blow air forward!"
The people didn't understand, but they followed directions. They each filled their cheeks and started blowing with all their might. The large crowd puffed out a circle of hot, white mist in the middle of the winter's night.
Although their breaths didn't travel far, the warm air mixed with yang energy would be confusing to any spirit who saw it. In addition, Hua Cheng had secretly cast a camouflage spell to stop the creatures from seeing what was happening down below.
The vengeful spirits had intended to scatter and run amok, but they sensed an area that was particularly heavy with heat and the energy of the living, rippling and undulating and incredibly lively. Naturally, they assumed it was their target and excitedly rushed over in a raging black pillar.
In an instant, Xie Lian's field of vision was almost completely blocked.
"Everyone, be careful not to loosen your hold! They've come into the cage!"
he cried out.
At that same moment, thousands of silver butterflies emerged from behind Hua Cheng and spread out. Haunting silver light illuminated the area, and the black fog before Xie Lian's eyes was dispersed. He saw Hua Cheng extend a hand toward him.
"Gege, come to my side."
Xie Lian was slightly startled but still took his hand immediately. With a light tug, Hua Cheng easily pulled Xie Lian over to him and wrapped an arm around his waist as he swept the area with a composed glare. Even though the vengeful spirits had lost their minds during their two-thousand-year imprisonment inside the Kiln, they still didn't dare to go near Hua Cheng—there was not even a hint of their dark aura within a three-meter radius of the pair.
It was only then that the vengeful spirits, who had so gleefully dropped into the circle, noticed something amiss. They had been tearing around and chomping down, but why hadn't they torn into any living humans, instead mangling each other? There were also two beings they couldn't even touch, and those silver butterflies were like sharp blades and showers of arrows;
their flapping wings assaulted and slaughtered the vengeful spirits, sending their screams shooting to the skies!
The vengeful spirits finally realized they'd been trapped. They were like savage, imprisoned beasts locked in with fires raging all around, but the two-hundred-some people weren't the audience outside their cage—they were the iron bars!
Beyond outraged, the vengeful spirits screeched violently and savagely at the beggars who were blocking their rampage with nothing but joined hands. They opened their mouths so wide that it looked like they were about to devour the beggars' heads. Their hair bristled with fury, and their faces and bodies twisted into miserable contortions. Some of the beggars were frightened enough to back up a few steps, but they were quickly stopped by those next to them.
"Don't move!"
"Don't move!" Xie Lian echoed. "They can't hurt you as long as the array is intact!"
That reassured the crowd a little. Some beggars even spat wildly at the shrieking vengeful spirits, jeering as they did.
"I'll dirty you, dirty you! Get the hell outta here!"
They had probably heard from somewhere that ghosts were afraid of filthy things. Xie Lian didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"You don't need to do that either! They're not scared of that!"
Just then, he noticed a spot in the human array was about to fall apart, a weak point about to spring a leak. He hastily looked over and saw a scrawny little beggar whose bulging eyes were unfocused, his breathing harsh. He looked so scared that it seemed he was about to start convulsing.
Many of the vengeful spirits also noticed that the man's spirit was weakening, and they swarmed toward him. Xie Lian rushed over and whipped with his silk band, and the vengeful spirits howled as they were struck apart. Xie Lian quickly made the man back out of the circle, ordering the people on his left and right to connect their hands instead.
Before he had the time to breathe in relief, another leak appeared about eighteen meters to the southwest. And just as Xie Lian was about to rush over, he discovered that another leak had sprung farther away—from the person right next to Shi Qingxuan!
There were countless vengeful spirits, after all, and this was only the first wave—the stream of spirits was practically endless.
He wouldn't make it in time. Xie Lian cried, "San Lang!"
Hua Cheng didn't move. "Gege, don't worry."
Xie Lian refused to believe Hua Cheng didn't notice, and he refused to believe that Hua Cheng would ignore such a dire situation…but that hole was about to be exploited by the vengeful spirits!
Right at the critical moment, however, a yellow talisman came flying and exploded beside Shi Qingxuan!
Although the talisman didn't hit any vengeful spirits, it did make them recoil in alarm. It had been thrown by someone from the band of spiritual masters who had been spying on them all this time.
"I told you lot not to get involved!" they yelled as they rushed over.
"But since you did, stand your ground to the end! If you can't, you're just adding to the trouble!"
Hua Cheng turned to Xie Lian, forever at ease. "See, I told you not to worry."
"Mmm!" Xie Lian answered.
In the end, Heaven's Eye and the other masters couldn't bear to stand by and watch and came charging over. They were indeed professional martial artists, and they moved quickly and agilely; they each grabbed two people to separate their hands and bridge themselves in. Dozens and dozens of newcomers assimilated into the circle, expanding the human array.
"Fellow colleagues! Quick, quick, quick—whoever has schools or disciples here in the capital, tell them to come quickly!" Heaven's Eye called out.
"Go, go, go!"
"I'll call my disciple over too!"
Soon another hundred-some people came barreling down the street, and they were all impressive—monks, cultivators, spellcasters! Each was fully geared up and took two steps as one; their heroic demeanor was refreshing to see. Xie Lian cheered loudly in his head while the beggars stared with wide eyes and dropped jaws. This new wave of people was stunned by the extraordinary sight before them—a raging pillar roiling with a peculiar aura—however, they joined in without hesitation. Once they assimilated, the circle expanded even more; the royal capital's main avenue was going to run out of room. And on top of the newcomers' bravery, they were also packing all sorts of spiritual devices that would no doubt greatly extend the time the array could hold.
Seeing this bolstered Xie Lian's confidence. He called out with calm assurance, "Everyone, don't be afraid! The tables are turning. We've got more and more people on our side. As long as we hold the line, we will destroy them! It's only a matter of time!"
The crowd could also see the situation was turning in their favor. Hope made everything easier. In an instant, everyone's confidence grew.
"Destroy them!" cried the crowd enthusiastically.
From his side of the circle, Heaven's Eye said, "We've got 168 people on our side! How many do you have? How long do you think we can last?"
The leader of the beggars, Shi Qingxuan, counted and re-counted before he answered loudly, "We've got 148 remaining in the array!"
"That's 316 altogether," Xie Lian said. "We just need to find—" "That's not right," Hua Cheng interrupted.
Xie Lian turned to him. "What's not right?"
Hua Cheng's solemn gaze returned to Xie Lian. "The count isn't right.
There are 317 people here."