209 Compassion

Descending Star City!

This city was a piece of barren land in the past. There were no traces of human life, and it was a disaster-stricken place.

One day, a group of people arrived here.

There were migrants from Da Qian Empire. Because of their own reasons, they had to leave the empire to start afresh in rural places in hopes of survival.

They were the ancestors of the city master of Descending Star City and Kongming the Godly Monk!

They wanted to traverse through the icy gorges but were afraid of being trapped in there. Therefore, they had no choice but to settle down and faced the continuous threat from the cold and brutal weather, and the beasts native to the icy plains.

Finally, there came a day.

A piece of asteroid landed on the plains.!

All it took was one night for the entire barren piece of land to change. The land became much more fertile and they could now plant all types of plants.

Furthermore, at the position where the asteroid landed, there was a huge surge in energy.

The array masters among the migrants could feel it, and from there designed a South Vermilion Fiery Array to separate themselves from the cold. They were the ones who started everything.

Soon after, from the contributions of their descendants, a few array techniques were added to the initial array, forming the Four Elements Spiritual Array. Furthermore, they bug a lake on the position where the asteroid landed in remembrance of the miracle the asteroid brought to them. This was why the city was named Descending Star City!

Therefore, the Vermilion Bird from the South was the core of the entire Four Elements Spiritual Array. It had the energy of the asteroid!

This was the myth behind the name of Descending Star City.

And now, the myth has turned into reality!

The simplest of all arrays; the Vermilion Fiery Array, and the energy source are now in front of Fang Yuan!

"Rumble!"

The shocking tongues of flame and the heat from it were making Fang Yuan dizzy.

The eyes of the Vermilion Bird were filled with life, and the three dead animals which appeared previously was nothing compared to it.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Fang Yuan appeared serious and complimented.

"This Vermilion Fiery Array is the only real array. You descendants don't know the true power of it and added three extra animals making the Four Elements Spiritual Array. However, all of you are not highly skilled enough, and therefore are just making useless additions to the array!"

"You..."

As the city master heard him, his pulled a long face - he was one of those who made the useless additions!

"Small boy, what do you know... If we didn't form the Four Elements Spiritual Array, how would we be able to protect such a huge area of land like the Descending Star City... But why do I have to explain all these to you? You are about to be burnt alive by the Vermilion Bird!"

He had a ferocious look as he exclaimed.

"So it's your greed!"

Fang Yuan sighed softly. "There are no problems with the Vermilion Fiery Array. The problem is with your insatiable greed!"

As he replied, he rushed forward and his hands formed claws. "Giant Eagle Claw!"

"Chirp! Chirp!"

Accompanying a high-pitched chirp, a giant claw appeared as it struck down towards the city master.

"Rumble!"

As the Vermilion Bird witnessed the claw, it swiped its wings.

A circle of flames appeared, forming a wall around the city master.

"Haha... It's useless! I am still under the protection of the Four Elements Spiritual Array. Your opponent is the Vermilion Bird!"

The city master laughed heartily as he altered the array once again.

"Chirp! Chirp!"

The Vermilion Bird let out a long chirp. As the energy source on its head glowed, it spread its wings and spread a wave of flames towards Fang Yuan.

"Weng! Weng!"

As the asteroid shook, it became dimmer.

"Rumble!"

The Descending Star City shook once more.

Cracks continued to form on the city walls, and the spiritual inscriptions started to disappear.

"Roar! Roar!"

"Hiss! Hiss!"

"Chirp! Chirp!"

...

Suddenly, there was a roar from the storm outside. In the icy plains, there were a few huge shadows appearing.

It was a huge beast from the icy plains. It had a huge body and bloodshot eyes that let out a ferocious glow.

"Chatter!"

"Chatter!"

...

On the city walls, the guards were chattering their teach in fear, and could not even hold their weapons properly. "Icy... Icy beasts attacking the city?"

"How is this possible? We have the protective array, and they cannot come close..."

From a long time ago, the claim that Descending Star City was impregnable was the emotional support for many of the people living in the city.

"How could this happen?"

Amidst the chaotic crowd, Yu Jian held on to Li Hu's hands tightly. "Isn't Descending Star City the safest place?"

"I have no idea. It might be due to the fact that the protective array is having some problems. I'm sure the people in the city will resolve it..."

Li Hu's face was pale. He didn't even believe what he had just said, and his right hand started to grip tightly onto his knife.

"How did all of this happen?"

In the walls, a high-ranking general looked at the beast but was thinking all about what was happening inside the city. "City master... You have miscalculated this time!"

"Chirp! Chirp!"

In the centre of the centre, there was a sudden distinct chirp.

A pillar of fire suddenly appeared and rose up into the sky as it pierced through the clouds and headed towards the sun.

This was not a cause for celebration!

As the fiery ball of fire rose up, the spiritual inscriptions on the city walls became increasingly dimmer.

Finally, a huge icy gorilla, which was 3 storeys high, leapt onto the walls and started to pound on its chest!

"Rumble!"

It was destruction everywhere!

One portion of the city walls crumbled and fell down, revealing the streets and houses of the city!

"Keke!"

As the icy gorilla saw it, it stroked its arms, grabbed onto a soldier and started to feast on it.

"Ah... Save me, I don't want to die!"

Although the soldier had broken limbs, he was still alive and was wailing for help.

However, no one could react to what was happening.

There were still caught in a daze from the tremors.

"Amituofo!"

At this crucial point in time, a white silhouette flashed past.

The icy gorilla stopped whatever it was doing. Looking at its hands, the food that it was feasting on was long gone.

"That you for saving me, Godly Monk!"

On the city walls, Kongming the Godly monk slowly placed the soldier down. Looking at the icy gorilla, he was enraged.

"Aw! Aw!"

The icy gorilla did not care much. Instead, it pounded its fists on its chest once again and rushed towards Kongming the Godly Monk.

"The hidden King Kong, immovable like a mountain!"

Kongming the Godly Monk clasps his hand together before pushing it outwards. A faint golden glow appeared in his palms.

"Weng! Weng!"

As the golden glow in his palm intensified, it finally formed a swastika symbol. With that, he exerted the pressure out.

"Roar! Roar!"

The icy gorilla exclaimed in pity and retreated backwards as though it was being held down by a mountain. Soon after, there were golden flames appearing on its body, and it was a matter of seconds before it was engulfed in flames.

"Chirp! Chirp!"

An icy phoenix with three ice crystals on its tail appeared. Quickly, it flew by the icy gorilla.

"Whoosh!"

As the golden flames died out, the icy gorilla laid on the ground and sighed weakly. Together with its burnt fur, it was a comical scene to behold.

However, Kongming the Godly Monk could not laugh.

"Icy beasts with the cultivation level at the Elemental Gathering Stage? And not just one! Where did all of them come from?"

He was feeling unsure. With the meditation beads in hand, he walked to the crumbled wall and chanted six words:

"Weng! Ma! Ni! Bei! Mi! Hong!"

"Rumble!"

Rows of golden runes appeared on the two broken walls at the side. Slowly, they extended out and met in the centre, forming chains of Sanskrit covering where the broken wall once stood.

"Weng! Weng!"

Not just that, but golden runes appeared on every wall. They represented strength and eternal blessing.

"Thank you for saving our lives!"

A few Lieutenants rushed forward and thanked him.

"Amituofo!"

Kongming the Godly Monk shook his head. "I have only activated the restrictive power within the walls, which were placed there long ago by our ancestors. It can merely withstand the altering of the array and hold off the beasts outside for about an hour!"

He could not cast a new protective array over the entire city just by himself.

However, it was different at the walls. With the 'secret ingredient' added by their ancestors years ago, it was an inheritance left for the descendants in case of an emergency. This way, they could still take the geographical advantage.

Even as such, without the most important energy source, the array would not be able to last long.

'This place is barren and cannot be compared to Da Qian Empire. To maintain the array, we need to either use the energy source or... we have to use blood sacrifice...'

Kongming the Godly Monk held his meditation beads in one hand and fiddled with it. "Sins! All these sins!"

...

"It seems to be chaotic outside!"

Within the Vermilion Fiery Array, Fang Yuan looked embarrassed. His expression was one of disappointment. Suddenly, he laughed. "I knew it... You are crazy and don't even care about your city. How could you use energy from the entire city against me! Are you not afraid that your disciples and your relatives might be attacked by icy beasts?"

"That will not happen just yet. Our ancestors have left something within our walls to buy us some time in an event of an emergency..."

The city master looked serious. "Furthermore... This is all the time I need to kill you! Vermilion Bird!"

"Chirp! Chirp!"

In front of Fang Yuan, the Vermilion Bird agreed to the city master and was extremely human-like. Facing Fang Yuan, it opened its beak.

"Rumble!"

"Rumble!"

As red flames burned, the extreme temperatures caused the ground to melt, forming puddles of gooey liquid.

"You are indeed crazy, and there's nothing I can do to help you..."

As the flame burnt through Fang Yuan's silhouette, it failed to burn Fang Yuan. His real body appeared on the other side as he shook his head and sighed. "City master, you are known to be noble. Are you going to continue to be lost in your own personal greed?"

"Of course... it is useless to tell you all these. This is because I have one reason to fight against you!"

In the array, a layer of bewildering fog appeared and spread out.

"And that reason is... The fact that you wanted to take advantage of me! That means you deserve to die!"

As his imagery appeared everywhere, Fang Yuan's real body appeared in front of the city master.

In the face of death, even the Vermilion Bird was in a daze!