"But why did you have Yundan Yueshu and that human youth guard the two Profound Heaven treasures? As far as I know, the Two Polarities Dust Annihilation Formation was also a divine-realm formation passed down by our ancestors. The array eyes require no guardians whatsoever. If that true immortal truly broke through to that point, the formation should have already collapsed entirely." The blurry figure spoke with a hint of curiosity.
"Heh heh, I naturally have my own reasons for doing this. Having them stay inside the array eye may very well be the thing that preserves their lives in the end." Ming Zun chuckled without giving a direct answer.
"Forget it. As this alliance's Shadow, I was never interested in your underhanded schemes to begin with. But if you manage to obtain a True Soul Pill from that true immortal, you must give one to me. With that pill, I will surely be able to truly cultivate the Nine Tribulations True Annihilation Art, and ascension to the Immortal Realm will finally be within reach. Even so, the price our alliance is paying this time is no small thing." The blurry figure said dismissively.
"If a True Soul Pill is truly found, I will certainly set one aside for you. As for the price — one must spend in order to gain. I trust that the treasures carried by a true immortal who has found a way to descend to the lower realms will be more than enough to compensate for our losses." Ming Zun replied coolly.
"Let's hope so. Well then, they've all set out already. I'll be going first. Ming Zun, do try not to fail even against the true immortal's first wave of attacks. If the time hasn't come, I absolutely will not lift a finger to save you." The blurry figure gave a low laugh, twisted its body, and in a bizarre fashion sank into the void and vanished once more.
Throughout the entire exchange, not a single glimpse of the figure's true appearance had been revealed.
"Will not lift a finger to save me, you say? The same words apply to you just as well. If your strike doesn't land true when the moment comes, I suspect you won't find it easy to escape either." A strange look flickered across Ming Zun's face as he muttered to himself in a voice barely audible.
By this time, Han Li was already being led by an armored warrior, flying away from the Extranatural Heaven and plunging headlong into the Two Polarities Dust Annihilation Formation not far below.
According to Ming Zun's earlier explanation, this formation had required more than thirty-six thousand formation flags, discs, and other array-arranging instruments to barely complete its deployment. Countless high-grade spirit stones had been embedded at every position — tens of thousands of them — just to shroud the greater half of the Resonant Evil Land within its scope.
As for the two array eyes, one lay to the south and the other to the north, separated by an immense distance.
Under the warrior's lead, Han Li flew at top speed and, after roughly the time it took to finish a meal, arrived near the array eye he had been assigned to guard.
From a distance, the so-called array eye was revealed to be nothing other than eight enormous golden pillars enclosing a tall altar.
The golden pillars shimmered with radiance, waves of restrictive energy flickering faintly in layered ripples around them, and rows upon rows of armored warriors stood clustered on all sides.
The altar itself was triangular, its entire surface a milky white, smooth as jade. The upper portion was shrouded behind a curtain of seven-colored light, and at its very apex something flickered faintly and ceaselessly.
"Senior, this is the array eye activation token. All of these personnel are also at your command. However, the altar already has its concealment restrictions deployed to prevent the enemy from detecting it prematurely, so we cannot allow you to ascend it." The warrior who had led Han Li here had barely touched down alongside him when he produced a silver token and presented it with both hands, speaking with the utmost respect.
"That is only natural. Although I am quite interested in the Profound Heaven treasure up there, I would not act so recklessly as to jeopardize the greater plan for the sake of curiosity." Han Li extended one hand, and with a soft whoosh, the token flew into his grasp of its own accord. He regarded it with an indifferent tone.
"Thank you for your understanding, Senior. Then this subordinate will take his leave." The warrior took a few steps back, then shot back into the sky, streaking toward the direction he had come from.
Han Li then lowered his head and examined the silver token in his hand for a moment. The object gleamed with brilliant silver light, its surface inscribed with countless minute runes arranged according to some profoundly mysterious pattern that was almost dizzying to behold.
He toyed with it briefly before tucking it away with a flick of his wrist, then strode toward the altar.
"Greetings, Commander!"
Nearly a thousand armored warriors bowed in unison the moment Han Li drew near.
"Rise. Since I have assumed command here, I have only one order: disobey and die. Now, return to your vigil." Han Li swept his spiritual sense across the assembled warriors and found that most were at the Spirit Transformation or Void Refining stage, though eight among them actually possessed Body Integration cultivation — one for each golden pillar, it seemed. His thoughts turned over quickly, and he spoke without a trace of expression on his face.
"Yes, sir!"
A chill ran through the warriors' hearts, but not one of them hesitated. They answered in chorus, then rose and resumed their positions around the golden pillars without another word.
Han Li's form then flickered, and he passed through the assembled warriors as though his body were incorporeal, appearing directly before the milmy-white altar at the center. He cast a calm glance upward, then simply sat down cross-legged.
"This appears to be the Two Polarities Dust Microcosm Formation from the Immortal Realm." A voice tinged with surprise echoed within Han Li's consciousness — it was the Crab Daoist.
"Two Polarities Dust Microcosm Formation? Shouldn't it be the Two Polarities Dust Annihilation Formation?" Han Li's mind stirred, and he immediately replied using spiritual sense.
"No. The Two Polarities Dust Annihilation Formation is also a divine-realm formation, but its function is rather simple — it is primarily used to annihilate enemies. In terms of profundity, it doesn't possess even a tenth of what this Two Polarities Dust Microcosm Formation offers." The Crab Daoist answered without the slightest hesitation.