Chapter 430 - 245: Battle of Arrays, Dangers at Every Turn

"Elder He, please understand. When Daoist Xiahou died, I was still on Changqing Mountain. I never went to Yellow Crane Immortal City."

Li Chang’an’s expression was serious and his tone was earnest.

He cupped his hands and added, "I met Daoist Xiahou back at Elder Pei’s Core Formation Ceremony. At the time, I gifted a Sword Array Technique to his brother, Xiahou Qian, hoping only to foster good relations with the Yellow Crane Mountain Lineage. Xiahou Qian himself is aware of this."

His meaning was clear: if he wanted to kill someone, why would he bother trying to improve their relationship?

Besides, with his level of strength, it was simply impossible to kill someone from so far away.

He Qianshan was naturally aware of this.

Even a Golden Core Master such as himself couldn’t kill a Cultivator in Yellow Crane Immortal City from all the way at Changqing Mountain, let alone Li Chang’an.

"Li, Xiahou Yu came to Changqing Mountain before he died. Did you do something to him?"

"I would never do such a thing!"

Li Chang’an was adamant, his tone utterly sincere.

He then swore an oath on his Dao Heart, attesting that he had nothing to do with the matter.

"Elder He, I too regret Daoist Xiahou’s death, but this matter truly has nothing to do with me."

"If that’s the case, do you dare to step out of the Array and allow me to examine you?"

"You came here with killing intent, Elder. Of course I wouldn’t dare."

Li Chang’an said with frank honesty.

While the two were talking, Du Han had been sizing up the Array on Changqing Mountain, his expression growing more and more confident.

He turned and asked, "Daoist He, Daoist Xiahou, since Li Chang’an doesn’t seem to be a strong suspect, do you still want to break this Array?"

Xiahou Hong’s eyes were bloodshot, his killing intent undiminished as he responded at once.

"Of course we’re breaking it!"

He fixed Li Chang’an with a stare as sharp as a cold blade, as if he wanted to flay him to pieces with his eyes alone.

"This brat is my enemy! Even if Yu’s death has nothing to do with him, he still deserves to die!"

He Qianshan also nodded slightly, telling Du Han to continue breaking the Array.

"This boy runs deep. He may harbor hostility toward the Yellow Crane Mountain Lineage. Even though he only has a Low Grade Spirit Root, we can’t let him continue to develop. It’s best to just kill him."

Although Li Chang’an’s talent was poor and his chances of reaching Core Formation in this lifetime were slim, He Qianshan still wanted him dead.

If there was even the slightest possibility, he had to be crushed to prevent Yellow Crane Mountain from gaining another powerful enemy in the future.

"Very well. Give me a moment, you two!"

Du Han turned back around, a sharp glint in his eyes as his gaze fell upon an empty spot in the air.

An Array Flag was hidden in that very spot.

Inside the Array.

Li Chang’an cupped his hands toward him.

"Elder Du, you and I have no quarrel. Are you really going to help them kill me?"

At these words, Du Han responded with a beaming smile.

"Young friend, in the Cultivation Immortality Realm, the weak have always been prey for the strong. Your strength is lacking, so it’s only right that you face this calamity. When you’re on the Reincarnation Path, don’t hold it against me. I’m just getting paid to do a job!"

"You are right, Elder. In the Cultivation Immortality Realm, the weak are indeed prey for the strong."

Li Chang’an smiled, carefully memorizing Du Han’s aura and appearance.

He said no more, immersing most of his consciousness into the Five Elements Life-generating Array.

At the same time.

Du Han began his attempt to break the Array.

’This Array looks simple, but it actually hides profound mysteries. It bears traces of the Array Dao from the Ancient Cultivation Immortality Realm. Any other Tier Three Array Master might be stumped for a moment, but I’ve recently broken countless arrays in those Ancient Sect Ruins...’

He stroked his beard, a smile of utter confidence on his face.

A moment later.

Du Han’s figure flickered, and in an instant, he plucked a hidden Array Flag.

Immediately after, without a moment’s pause, he blurred into a series of afterimages.

In the span of just a few breaths, he plucked dozens of Array Flags in quick succession!

The entirety of Changqing Mountain trembled for a moment. A flaw seemed to appear in the Array, and the remaining Array Flags and Array-Breaking Treasures all materialized, no longer able to remain hidden.

"Young friend, the Array Materials for this Array are quite good. I’ll be taking them!"

Du Han let out a great laugh and, becoming an afterimage, shot straight toward the nearest Tier Three Array Treasure.

However, before he could even get close to the Treasure, a sense of alarm flared in his heart.

"Not good!"

Du Han’s expression changed. Though he didn’t know where the sense of danger came from, he nevertheless transformed into a streak of light and shot backward, instantly retreating to a safe distance.

In the very next instant, a subtle ripple of power swept through the spot where he had just been standing.

It contained an extremely terrifying power.

If he had retreated even a fraction of a second later, he would have been severely injured on the spot.

"This Array..."

Standing in the distance, Du Han’s expression turned incredibly grave as he looked back at the Array on Changqing Mountain.

That brush with death just now had been real.

He no longer dared to advance recklessly. He carefully scanned the entirety of Changqing Mountain, and the more he looked, the more alarmed he became.

The entire Array.

It seemed to be riddled with flaws.

But at the same time, it was filled with deadly traps!

One wrong step could lead to being trapped inside forever, annihilated by the relentless Array Power until nothing remained.

’Thankfully, I retreated quickly enough.’

Du Han felt a surge of lingering fear, secretly relieved.

Little did he know.

Li Chang’an had intentionally let him escape.

In the few short breaths it took to pluck the Array Flags, he had already brushed against the gates of Yama Hall many times.

The only reason he hadn’t killed him was because He Qianshan and Xiahou Hong were still watching from a distance.

If he killed Du Han but failed to trap the other two, then Li Chang’an would have to face the frenzied retaliation of the entire Ten Thousand Swords Sect.

The Ten Thousand Swords Sect had experts at the Late Stage of Golden Core.

Unless it was absolutely necessary, Li Chang’an had no desire to confront them just yet.

"Elder Du, I happened to discover this Array in an Ancient Secret Realm. It may look simple, but it’s filled with traps. If you’re not confident, it would be best for you to retreat," he said with a calm smile.

Upon hearing this, Du Han’s expression immediately turned ugly.

He had been so confident before, even giving He Qianshan and Xiahou Hong his personal guarantee, yet now he couldn’t even perceive the dangers hidden within the Array.

This Array was indeed only Tier Three Low Grade, but its complexity far surpassed his imagination.

Now, he didn’t even have the courage to approach it for another attempt.

After a long moment,

Du Han had no choice but to turn around, a flash of embarrassment crossing his old face.

"Daoist He, Daoist Xiahou, this Array is truly formidable. I have no confidence that I can break it."