“Master Hammerhead, you don’t need to pay for some array master to seal it. I am an array master myself, and my skills are even more formidable than the average ones in the Ethereal Realm,” Jared quickly said.
“You know array craft?” Hammerhead looked at Jared, seemingly in disbelief!
“Of course.” Jared replied, his voice steady. With a swift motion, his fingers danced through the air, weaving intricate hand seals. Then, he traced several elaborate array runes in the thin air, each one glowing faintly as they took shape.
Buzz!
A resonating hum filled the air as a brilliant flame array took form, surrounding the entire hall in a protective glow.
“Master Hammerhead, I’ve set up a defensive arcane array around the grand hall,” Jared explained calmly. “If anyone attempts to attack, the array will activate.”
The crowd was left in awe, their excitement palpable. They marveled at Jared’s skill in array crafting.
“All right then, Mr. Chance, please follow me!” Hammerhead led Jared toward the sword- cleansing lake.
As the crowd drew closer to it, an eerie aura began to pervade the surroundings.
Is the sword-cleansing lake possessed by an evil spirit? Jared’s brow slightly furrowed.
When Jared first entered the area, although the sword marionettes were present, they did not emanate any malevolent energy. However, now, as he approached the sword-cleansing lake, he could sense a palpable evil aura. It was clear that an evil spirit had taken residence within the lake, which was likely causing the sword marionettes to turn wild and attack anyone who approached.
As the crowd drew closer, Jared’s attention was drawn to a faint white glow that seemed to shield the lake’s surface. Through the radiance, he was struck by the sight of the water itself-it was black, an unnatural, ominous shade. The water churned violently, with wave after wave of dark energy crashing against the protective glow.
Jared observed it for only a moment before his eyes narrowed. He realized that the arcane array meant to seal the lake was on the verge of collapse.
Had Jared not arrived, it would have taken only a few more days for the seal on the lake to collapse. Without a moment’s hesitation, he formed intricate hand seals and thrust his hands deep into the water. Array runes spread outward from his palms, radiating with energy.
“Within moments, the turbulent waters began to settle, their chaotic energy slowly dissipating. Golden light, brilliant and pure, began to envelop the entire lake, creating a shimmering barrier from all sides.
The members of the Divine Smithing Sect watched in awe as Jared effortlessly set up such a powerful and intricate array. Their admiration for him soared, and they now regarded him with a newfound respect.”
“Master Hammerhead, I’m going to check out what’s happening in the sword-cleansing lake, and while I’m at it, I’ll try to find the Sworder. If I don’t emerge from the lake in the next three days, seal this place off and don’t let anyone come near,” said Jared.
“Mr. Chance, that’s too risky!” Hammerhead frowned.
“No worries. I’ve entered the lake once before, so I’m pretty familiar with the place!” Jared smiled reassuringly.
“Mr. Chance…” Cloud called out, his face full of concern.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.” Jared patted Cloud on the shoulder before plunging headfirst into the lake.
The majority of the sword energy within the lake had already been absorbed by Jared during his previous visit. As a result, when he entered the water this time, he was not attacked by the sword energy.
He swam deeper into the lake, but the surroundings were pitch-black, the dark water obscuring his vision. The depths were shrouded in uncertainty, and Jared couldn’t make out anything in the distance.
Without hesitation, he activated his Nethersky Eye. Immediately, his vision sharpened, unaffected by the dim light or the water’s reflections. What he saw left him stunned. A dense swarm of sword marionettes moved before him, their numbers staggering. They exuded an aura of ferocity, clearly influenced by the evil energy that now pervaded the lake.
Fortunately, Jared had activated his Nethersky Eye, or he would have plunged headfirst into those sword marionettes.
