Chapter 1355: High Priest
Translator: CKtalonEditor: CKtalon
Ling Xie'er shook her head in confusion and said, "After the array started acting funny, I focused on stabilizing the array. All I know is that there were many people entering the array, but I do not know what exactly they did."
Upon seeing Ling Xie'er's weakened state, Yi Yun stroked her head and said, "It's been tough on you. Once this ordeal is over, I'll seek out some soul nurturing items to replenish the strength of your emptied soul."
Just as Yi Yun finished that sentence, he suddenly sensed the array shake. Yi Yun knitted his brows slightly for he sensed that the array would turn increasingly unstable if the situation continued. It could even cause a catastrophic event.
"Xie'er, take a good rest and leave everything to me. I'll first take a look at the pill."
Yi Yun was now most worried about the Fate Changing Pill.
It was of great importance. Not only was it important to the Nine Li Magus Maiden, it was also important to Huan Chenxue.
The more heaven-defying the pills were, the more stringent the criteria for their refinement. What's more, an unexpected situation of such massive scale had already happened.
Yi Yun wanted to find the cause of the array's changes. According to Ling Xie'er, Patriarch Pillheart and company had entered the array only after the anomaly happened. As such, it was likely that the reason had little to do with Patriarch Pillheart and company.
And on further inference, Yi Yun felt that the reason was most likely related to his switching of the Heretical God Fire Seed with the South Li Fire five years ago.
"From the looks of it, I have yet to fully comprehend Senior Divine Alchemist's heritage. I nearly caused a catastrophe. Thankfully, I came out of seclusion in time."
Now that Yi Yun had broken through to the Supremacy realm, the laws had completely fused with his flesh and blood. His nomological insights and knowledge of alchemy had been greatly enhanced. He was confident that he could restore the array and even convert the catastrophe into an opportunity to complete the Herb Nurturing Array through his control!
"Okay!" Ling Xie'er nodded. Just as she was about to fly into Yi Yun's God Advent Tower, her expression suddenly changed as she halted.
"What's wrong?"
Yi Yun and Ling Xie'er's mind were connected so he could sense the changes to her psyche.
Ling Xie'er pouted as her face showed complete aggrievement. She said, "Those people… they are…"
Ling Xie'er had fused with the array. She had previously placed all her soul's strength into maintaining the array's stability and did not have the luxury of watching what Patriarch Pillheart and company were doing. From her point of view, with the people from the Nine Li Magus Empire present, Patriarch Pillheart wouldn’t be allowed to do anything overboard that might damage the array.
"What's going on? Share your soul with me. Let me see what is happening!" Yi Yun said with a sullen expression.
Ling Xie'er nodded and instantly, Yi Yun's perception traversed space and reached the core region of the array.
Here, the island was already sealed by a gigantic rainbow-colored barrier of light. And gathered outside the barrier were more than ten thousand people!
"There are so many people! They are all there!"
Yi Yun frowned. It was true that more than ten thousand people had entered the array's interior. Furthermore, he could see people dressed in the Nine Li Magus Empire's attire outside the barrier. That implied that all the people had entered with the Nine Li Magus Empire's permission.
"Oh? They are in an array formation!"
Yi Yun scanned with his perception and saw a total of 10,800 people standing in formation. They were split into four layers. The outermost layer was a group of junior disciples that had cultivated for less than a century. They held array flags and injected their Yuan Qi into the flags in order to provide the array with energy.
The layer in the middle were Dao Palace realm disciples. They stood on a disk array and maintained the array's stability.
Further in were Elders at the Supremacy realm or higher. All of them were stepping on an array rune that was a nucleus of the array's powers.
And situated in the heart of the array were seven people. Among them, Yi Yun saw Nine Li Magus Maiden and Aged Blackrock.
Other than them, there were three alchemists. It was clear at a glance as there was a cauldron floating beneath each of the three.
They were separately Patriarch Pillheart, Ouming Yin, and another middle-aged man that Yi Yun had never seen.
Yi Yun could not help but carefully size up the man. He was dressed in a purplish-gold robe that was embroidered with a twirled golden five-clawed dragon. He was tall and his brows were like swords. His eyes sparkled and he exuded an extraordinary disposition like he was a monarch.
Another alchemist sage!
In the heart of the Herb Nurturing Array, there were now three alchemist sages. Even in the past when the Nine Li Magus Empire invited alchemists from all over the world to study the Herb Nurturing Array, there had never been anything as grand as gathering three alchemist sages at the same time.
At that moment, the middle-aged man spoke. "Your Excellency, your Nine Li Magus Empire invited me to stabilize this massive array but it is unwilling to accept my suggestions. How do you expect me to showcase my alchemical skills?"
The middle-aged man was referring to the High Priest, a white-robed elder among the seven. He had the nine-eyed emblem embroidered on his chest and his silver hair cascaded to his waist. His white brows were about half a feet long as they hung down to his cheeks, giving him a sage-like appearance.
The Nine Li Magus Empire had a High Priest, a High Elder, and a Nine Li Magus Maiden. The Nine Li Magus Maiden held the highest position in name with the High Priest second.
However, since the Nine Li Magus Maiden was only mortal, she spent most of the Nine Li Magus Empire's long history in slumber or reincarnating. In fact, the person that truly wielded power in the Nine Li Magus Empire was the High Priest.
The High Priest had lived for very long, about ten million years longer than Aged Blackrock. Even when Aged Blackrock finally matured in strength, he was still the High Priest's junior.
The High Priest knitted his white brows as he said slowly and unhurriedly, "I have indeed heard of your fame, Alchemist Sage Purple Gold. However, you have yet to prove the powers of your array. How can I trust you wholeheartedly?"
Alchemist Sage Purple Gold laughed. "I will naturally prove the strength of my array. However, it is a little too late for you to worry about trusting me or not. Probably none of you have realized that this array has undergone changes starting a few years ago. In the beginning, it was a minute change, but it was forcibly repressed so none of you noticed it."
"Now that the situation has developed to this state, the Heaven Earth Yuan Qi in the array is completely in chaos. Even I will find it tough!"
"Oh?" The High Priest's expression sank. The anomaly had begun a few years ago? He had been resting in seclusion but the tremendous changes to the array had stirred him. He never expected Alchemist Sage Purple Gold to explain that it had been repressed by someone.
"Who is repressing the changes to the massive array?"
The High Priest's gaze was like lightning that could see through anything.
"If I didn't guess wrong, it's that fire seed that fused with the massive array." Alchemist Sage Purple Gold said with a smile. He confidently continued, "According to what you said, that junior who acted absurdly used his fire seed to replace the South Li Fire and that fire seed has already become sentient. She will naturally be able to follow her owner's will and conceal the mistakes her master made. Unfortunately, there is no concealing the truth. The changes to the array became more intense and apparent. It is not something she could prevent and obviously, it is not something that can be hidden any longer."
The High Priest's expression sank. So that was the reason. Not only did the youth cause the unexpected changes to the array, he had even left behind his fire seed, nearly causing a catastrophe!
"Li'er, you were too imprudent!"
The High Priest sighed as he looked at the Nine Li Magus Maiden. Every time the Nine Li Magus Maiden reincarnated, she would begin with a blank slate due to the natal fog. She needed to slowly learn and reach a certain level of intelligence before she could slowly recover her memories.
And the High Priest would personally teach the Nine Li Magus Maiden every generation while she was a girl. Over numerous generations, his feelings for the Nine Li Magus Maiden become something indescribable.
"Master, Yi Yun is the true successor of the divine alchemist. I have spent a considerable amount of the clan's resources all these years. There have been other alchemist sages in history that came to study the Herb Nurturing Array without any results…"
"Not having results is better than making things worse!" said the High Priest in a peeved manner.
Nine Li Magus Maiden did not continue. She had witnessed Yi Yun's abilities and believed that he could bring about a miracle. However, the sudden anomaly in the array was a fact. She had no way to retort what the High Priest said.
"Haha, Your Highness is too inexperienced after all. She is easily fooled by others. Also, there is something else. I'm different from the other alchemist sages you mentioned! Your Highness, please do not compare those alchemist sages that once came to your Nine Li Magus Empire with me!"
As the Alchemist Sage Purple Gold spoke, the corners of his mouth curled up. In fact, he might have felt disdain towards Yi Yun but he strongly desired the divine alchemist's heritage. He said casually, "Your Excellency, if I were you, I would have long taken Yi Yun out and questioned him. According to what I know, this Yi Yun is still cultivating in your Nine Li Magus Empire's mystic ground, enjoying your resources. Your Nine Li Magus Empire sure is forgiving."
The High Priest could obviously hear the sarcasm in the Alchemist Sage Purple Gold's words. He said unhappily, "There is no need to tell me what to do."
In fact, the High Priest was obviously enraged after knowing the reason for the massive array's unexpected changes. He naturally wanted to make Yi Yun account for it but the Nine Li Magus Maiden had strongly protested against it. As Yi Yun was in a critical moment of breaking through, where his mental demons plagued him, he might have suffered a deviation if he was disturbed.
The High Priest watched the Nine Li Magus Maiden grow up. He naturally understood her stubbornness. Therefore, he temporarily let the matter go after receiving such opposition from the Nine Li Magus Maiden. Furthermore, he believed that blaming it on Yi Yun wouldn't help the situation. The catastrophe had already happened, so what use was pushing the blame?
Upon seeing the High Priest somewhat furious, Alchemist Sage Purple Gold naturally did not dare to further enrage him. He said with a smile, "If I am able to quell the array's situation, I do have a condition."
"What's your condition! Speak!"
When the High Priest invited Alchemist Sage Purple Gold, he knew that he would be gorged. However, the Nine Li Magus Empire had a deep heritage, so as long as the array could be stabilized, it was willing to pay any price.
Alchemist Sage Purple Gold chuckled and said, "What I want is… the fire seed left behind in the array by that punk!"