Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Phoenix’s Song of Nine Heavens
Night fell.
In a certain garden of the Imperial Palace.
Ji Chen sat alone in a pavilion sipping wine, while Qu Luoning was beside him playing the zither. Her fingers plucked the strings and the beautiful melody flowed into his ears, making one feel a bit refreshed, as if all the tedious matters of these days drifted into the night with the music.
Soon, the melody ended. Under the moonlight, Qu Luoning looked up at Ji Chen and, after pondering for a moment, she said, "I’m truly grateful that you helped by using the Cenling Array Manual to construct such a City Defense Array."
She knew that the Cenling Array Manual was passed down by Emperor Ye, a legacy of the Ancient Saints’ teachings. If this matter were to be exposed, Ji Chen would definitely become a target of envy and greed.
But he still took the risk to help, which naturally touched Qu Luoning’s heart.
"After all, we’ve shared hardships for fifteen years, haven’t we? This bit of help is nothing compared to our friendship." Ji Chen smiled faintly.
Normally, he would indeed not intervene.
But Qu Luoning was different. After fifteen years of companionship, the two had already become close friends.
Ji Chen had always valued loyalty and righteousness, not to mention, Celestial Essence City, being the forefront of the current beast tide, must be defended.
Otherwise, if the beast tide moved southward, within two days Lingyun Sect would surely be in grave danger as well.
"I see that your aura is much stronger than before. You must be nearing a breakthrough?"
Ji Chen nodded, "Just one step away from the Returning Ruins Realm."
"Returning Ruins is a significant hurdle; crossing it would be a transformation. But the Celestial Tribulation that accompanies the breakthrough cannot be underestimated. Before that, sufficient preparation is essential."
After speaking, Qu Luoning suddenly smiled and sighed, "It’s somewhat a pity for Qingcheng, though. If she hadn’t gone to Lingyun Sect to break the engagement, you two could have been happily united; in the future, both of you could reign over the Profound Domain."
"Everyone has the right to choose their own life. Standing from different perspectives, one naturally sees differently."
"In Liu Qingcheng’s eyes, I was just a spoiled brat at that time. Breaking off the engagement is the most normal thing for anyone. The favored daughter of the Purple Cloud Sect, the top talent among the younger generation of the Profound Domain, such a person, how could I, merely a dandy, ever hope to attach to her?"
Ji Chen responded indifferently, full of nonchalance.
From beginning to end, he never felt that Liu Qingcheng had done anything wrong.
After all, from a different standpoint, the difference in identity between them was like heaven and earth; if it were him, he would most likely choose similarly and call off the engagement.
But Liu Qingcheng’s mistake was in being prideful of it and viewing Lingyun Sect with disdain, so arrogant and condescending.
"But things have come to this point, there’s nothing more to say." Ji Chen shrugged.
Qu Luoning gazed beautifully and, after a moment of silence, said, "If one day, Lingyun Sect’s power truly surpasses Purple Cloud Sect, then your gamble..."
Ji Chen said nothing, gazing into the distance, "Some things won’t change, just like today, when the people from Sword King Sect lost their bet, they can only guard the frontline outside the city."
Qu Luoning found her answer, she smiled and changed the topic, "Another piece, perhaps?"
Ji Chen shook his head, leaning lazily in the pavilion.
After finishing his wine, he sat up, "Now that I think about it, you are also at the Sixth Layer of the Spirit Transformation Realm. I have something that should suit you."
Qu Luoning was taken aback, looking curiously at him.
Ji Chen flipped his palm, producing an ancient scroll and handed it to Qu Luoning.
"A musical score?"
Qu Luoning curiously browsed through it and was taken aback again.
Ji Chen nodded, "It’s a musical score as well as Martial Techniques; it’s of Earth Tier Low Level, which I happened to acquire. Such Martial Techniques are more suitable for you girls to cultivate."
He spoke casually, but it shocked Qu Luoning deeply.
Earth Tier Martial Techniques!
At that level, it would be rare even in the Chu Kingdom, let alone throughout the Profound Domain, or even in Beiyou.
More importantly, it was an Earth Tier Martial Technique, and Ji Chen just casually gifted it to her?
Could he not know that the value of an Earth Tier Martial Technique, if placed outside, would surely cause a storm of bloodshed throughout the Profound Domain?
"It’s for you, just take it." Seeing her hesitation, Ji Chen laughed, "Although I’ve never cultivated it, this piece should use Spiritual Power to pluck the strings, wounding with intangible melody. If practiced to Great Success, it is said to even kill enemies across a thousand miles."
"Phoenix’s Song of Nine Heavens..."
Qu Luoning nodded, browsing it again. This was the name of the musical score, a reward given by a Saintess who sought his help in alchemy in Ji Chen’s past life.
Although Ji Chen had never cultivated it, he had browsed it many times, vividly remembering its contents, therefore replicating it from memory and gifting it to Qu Luoning.
"Thank you."
She embraced it like a treasure, and amidst her joy, she suddenly said, "If I truly master it, I will give you a great gift in return."
"A great gift?"
Ji Chen was taken aback, "What is it?"
"A secret." She smiled without further words, plucking the strings again.
Time passed, and gradually, in the deep night, Ji Chen felt a bit drunken and fell asleep leaning in the pavilion.
Qu Luoning also stopped playing and was about to put away the zither and awaken Ji Chen to return indoors for rest when suddenly, she seemed to sense something, furrowing her brows and looking towards the distant void.
"Roar!"
A series of earth-shattering roars came, instantly awakening the previously peaceful Celestial Essence City.
"Beast tide!"
Ji Chen also opened his eyes and rose to look into the distant sky.
"Judging from the scale, it seems to be far larger than any previous attack." Qu Luoning’s brow furrowed deeply.
In the distant void, under the moonlight, there was a dense black mass, nearly obscuring the entire sky.
Those were Flying Demon Beasts, shockingly numerous, at least tens of thousands, rushing towards Celestial Essence City at incredible speed.
"Boom!"
At the same time, within Celestial Essence City, a drumbeat resounded, echoing across the horizon.
This was the call to gather!
Late at night, with Demon Beasts attacking the city at such an unexpected scale, surpassing everyone’s imagination.
At the moment the drumbeat sounded, countless figures swept out from various parts of the city, gathering atop the city walls.
Ji Chen and Qu Luoning naturally also rushed over at the first moment.
"With such a scale... quickly send more people to go outside and block them. I will control the Array." Ji Chen’s brows furrowed, looking at the massive beast tide ahead, so vast and covering the sky. Under such a massive beast tide, he just felt how insignificant he was.
"Buzz..."
As soon as those words fell, the Grand Array surrounding Celestial Essence City was activated.
Arrays like these, with a backlash effect, differed from ordinary arrays. Such formations cannot be activated constantly because their activation requires a continuous consumption of Spirit Stones.
Therefore, only when the beast tide truly attacked would Ji Chen activate the Array.
And as the Array Master, Ji Chen had to remain within the Array, unable to afford any mishap; otherwise, if the array went unmanaged, its defensive effectiveness would be lost.
This type of formation differs greatly from typical ordinary formations.
Of course, it is also because of this that it can have a backlash effect, making its defense capabilities stronger.
For example, Lingyun Sect’s Mountain Protection Array is just an ordinary defensive array, and such a formation, once set up, will always be present, without needing Ji Chen himself to control it, yet still provides good defensive effects.