Chapter 67: Peach Blossom Trap Array

After walking for a while longer, the group came upon a grove of peach trees.

The pink petals drifted down like falling snow, but the moment they stepped into the peach grove, a strange sensation washed over their hearts.

Everyone felt the surrounding scenery blur, making it impossible to distinguish directions.

Looking around, the peach trees appeared as though they had been copied and pasted, growing almost identically without the slightest variation.

No matter which direction they struggled to move in, they felt as though they were trapped in an endless labyrinth, utterly unable to find their way out of this mysterious peach grove.

"Everyone, hold your ground for a moment!"

One of them called out loudly. "This peach grove is clearly a meticulously arranged illusion array. We must find a way to locate the core of the array, or I'm afraid we won't be able to escape.

If we truly cannot find the core, we can forcefully shatter this illusion.

In my opinion, the purpose of setting up this illusion is most likely to test the true strength of us cultivators."

Just as the voice faded, Jiang Qing stepped forward and said in a clear voice, "The three of you, as it happens, I have some slight expertise in the Dao of arrays. Why don't you let me try and see if I can break this formation?" His words radiated absolute confidence.

Liu An, Du Jin, and Jian Yi exchanged glances upon hearing this, then nodded in agreement.

Since someone had volunteered and possessed specialized knowledge in formations, it was naturally worth a try.

With everyone's permission granted, Jiang Qing swiftly withdrew five bright yellow array flags from his robe.

With a flick of his wrist, he forcefully cast the five flags high into mid-air.

Miraculously, these five flags seemed to possess a life of their own. After hovering in the air for a moment, they automatically dispersed, centering around Jiang Qing, and steadily landed in five positions: the southeast, southwest, east, west, and the very center.

Immediately afterward, Jiang Qing's hands shifted rapidly through various complex hand seals as he chanted incantations under his breath.

With his movements, the five array flags began to vibrate slightly, emitting faint yet clearly visible rays of light.

As Jiang Qing performed his spell, a dense fog suddenly rose within the peach grove.

Amidst the swirling mist, the melodious sound of a flute faintly drifted over. The flute music was ethereal and lingering, yet it carried a mesmerizing, soul-stirring power.

Upon hearing it, everyone felt stray thoughts multiply in their minds, and even their originally firm spiritual resolve began to waver slightly.

Jiang Qing furrowed his brows deeply, knowing full well that this flute music was a tactic used by the array caster to disrupt his attempt to break the formation.

Suppressing the unease in his heart, he accelerated the speed of his hand seals and shouted, "Break!" The five array flags blazed with intense light, attempting to pierce through the shroud of fog.

However, the flute music abruptly shifted, becoming hurried and sharp.

The peach trees in the grove seemed to respond to a summons, their branches dancing crazily as countless peach blossom petals transformed into sharp blades, shooting toward the group. Jiang Qing hurriedly cast a barrier spell, barely managing to fend off the onslaught of petals.

Right at that moment, Liu An's sharp gaze seemed to catch a trace of anomaly. He suddenly stopped in his tracks, pointed a finger toward a spot not far away, and shouted excitedly, "Look over there! There is a glowing speck of light; that might just be the array core we've been searching for!"

Hearing Liu An's cry, everyone unanimously looked in the direction he was pointing. Sure enough, amidst the branches and leaves of a peach tree, a faint speck of light flickered with a mysterious radiance.

No sooner said than done, Jian Yi, who had maintained a high level of vigilance all along, reacted with lightning speed. With a flash, he bolted toward the glowing speck like a streak of lightning.

The longsword in his hand traced a fierce arc through the air, piercing straight toward the array core with a sound of tearing wind.

In an instant, time seemed to freeze. The moment the tip of the sword touched the array core, a powerful wave of energy rippled outward from the core in all directions.

The peach trees that had been frantically attacking the group suddenly halted their movements, as if obeying a command, and fell completely still.

Following that, they automatically parted to both sides, clearing a wide path.

Walking all the way to the end of the path cleared by the peach trees, the group arrived at its terminus.

There, a woman holding a jade flute stood quietly. Her gaze slowly swept over the crowd, finally resting on the leading figures, and she parted her lips to say, "Please proceed, everyone!"

As for Jiang Shu, ever since stepping into the peach grove, she had stayed closely attached to her guardian, not daring to leave by even a step.

At this moment, with the array broken, a hint of grievance arose in her heart. She turned her head toward the guardian and complained petulantly, "Elder Qian, you could have easily broken this formation with just a slight wave of your hand. Why did you make my brother and the others go through so much trouble?"

Faced with Jiang Shu's grievance, the guardian simply chuckled and explained in a gentle tone, "Little girl, naturally I had my reasons.

I will only step in to help when you face the most critical moments. An imprisonment array like this happens to provide your brother and the others with a rare opportunity for tempering. Why should I be in such a hurry to act?"

Hearing the guardian's explanation, although Jiang Shu remained somewhat unconvinced in her heart, she found it hard to say anything more. Thus, led by the flute-playing woman, the group continued forward. After passing through the dense peach grove,

they slowly approached an arched gate built of stone. The archway looked extremely ancient.

"Just by passing through this stone gate, you will reach the true gathering place of cultivators. May I wish all of you a bountiful harvest at this gathering, and that you obtain the treasures of your heart's desire."

Just as her voice finished trailing off, the woman's figure vanished into thin air like a ghost in the blink of an eye.

The group looked at each other in dismay, falling into a momentary silence.

At that moment, Liu An furrowed his brow and voiced his misgivings, "Wait! How can we easily trust what that woman said? What if this is a meticulously designed trap? What should we do then?" His words instantly turned the somewhat excited atmosphere heavy and solemn.

However, Jiang Shu curled her lips dismissively and retorted, "What a coward! With so many of us together, what is there to fear?" Her tone was full of disdain and contempt.

Upon hearing his younger sister's rude remark, Jiang Qing's expression changed abruptly, and he rebuked her sternly, "Shu, show some respect! Apologize to Fellow Daoist Liu immediately! You have always been protected so well that you've lost even the most basic awareness of danger."

Jiang Shu's eyes widened in grievance, tears welling up in her eye sockets, and she looked on the verge of crying. Yet she stubbornly turned her head away and muttered under her breath, "I won't..."

Seeing this, Jiang Qing sighed helplessly. He knew his sister's temper well, but he could not let her act willfully at this moment. Consequently, he hurried to bow deeply toward Liu An and offered a sincere apology, "My younger sister is young and ignorant, and her words were offensive. I hope Fellow Daoist will be magnanimous and not hold it against her."