NOVEL NEXT Chapter 20: Enacting The Grand Method.
Chapter 20: Enacting The Grand Method.
Mortal Realm~
Endless Catacombs~
Black and White Hall~
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At the center of the hall, an intricate array was being layed, this was a basic energy puppeteering array and a simplified version of it's original form as well.
The complete version was too straining for the enfeebled Xie Tong to lay.
She had learnt a thing or two about arrays from her brother Lu Huo Gui during her spare time, back in her hay days. He had spared no effort to teach her the best he knew, even if it meant deploying the stick and carrot method just to make her focus.
She reminisced on her beautiful past as she drew complex patterns on the floor.
The energy puppeteering array was a very simple array taught to her by her brother Lu Huo Gui. As it's name suggested it forte lies within the total control of energy within it's array scope, no energy within it's scope would be able to run amuck but rather follow the will of the puppeteer or puppet master, which would be Lu Xie Tong in this case.
She had set up this array to ensure that nothing goes wrong with the berserk energy sealed within her during the extraction and retraction process. Energy could be very volatile and savage and that was especially so for the berserk energy she wished to refine.
Refining berserk energy was a crazy act that could pose a threat to her life, that was why she needed powerful figures such as Yin Yu and Yang Chen beside her to help during the extraction and retraction process.
There were four phases to this plan of hers;
Firstly, unsealing. The strange youth had placed a tuff seal on the berserk energy, hence, she needed the aid of the primordial duo to unseal it.
Secondly, extraction. This was where the ability of the energy puppeteering array came in. It ability to tame energy would ensure it berserk energy doesn't run amuck the moment it's unsealed and prevent it from dissolving into the nether or exploding during the extraction process. She needed every bit of the berserk energy, hence, she couldn't allow a wisp to waste as good stuffs are hard to come by in the mortal realm. Furthermore Lu Xie Tong knew the latter was most likely in the case of berserk energies such as this, which strengthened her resolve in laying down the energy puppeteering array.
The explosion of such berserk energy would definitely spell out the word doom for her in ernest.
Thirdly, retraction phase. With the energy being extracted came a difficult part, one in which she must involve veterans. During retraction the berserk nature of the energy must be removed through dilution and de-condensation yet not compromising it's purity.
Lastly, refinement. This part couldn't be any easier, courtesy of her void constitution allowed her to assimilate with anything as easily as drinking tea.
Yin Yu and Yang Chen sat at the other side of the array, opposite from Lu Xie Tong. The process of unsealing had begun with the activation of the energy puppeteering array. Yang Chen had a rare serieous face, while Yin Yu's face was solemn.
The energy puppeteering array sealed off a scope of ten meter radius around them in an amnesty semi transparent ward that was half a circle in shape, akin to a glassy purple bowl.
Intricate bright white seals were flying out of the primordial duo fingers like spring butterflies fluttering gracefully towards their target Lu Xie Tong. They fluttered around her till the primordial duo ceased their actions.
By now several thousands tiny illuminous butterfly seals were dancing gloriously around Lu Xie Tong, obscuring her, leaving only her vague visage peeping through their dense compact.
The primordial duo suddenly shifted their hands simultaneously, raising their index fingers vertically before thrusting it towards Lu Xie Tong lightly.
Following this act, each fluttering butterfly seals of light descended on her person, each choosing a spot of their own to decend on.
The primordial duo then carried on to claps their hands, which made the seals sink beneath her skin and converge onto the sealed berserk energy.
"Unseal!" The primordial duo chanted softly.
At this point Lu Xie Tong focused on controlling the array as they where now entering the crucial stage of extraction. She had focus on controlling the energy with the aid of the energy puppeteering array, implementing her will on the berserk energy to keep it stable as though a puppet master orchestrating a series of activities.
With the seal beginning to become undone the primordial duo changed their hands seals onces again, crisscrossing their index and middle finger.
"Extract!" They chanted softly again.
Following this was the emission of an emerald green gas from Lu Xie Tong's chest.
As the primordial duo twisted and turned their crisscrossed fingers the emerald green gas followed as though controlled by them.
Lu Xie Tong concentration peaked at this stage in controlling the array, nothing was allowed to wrong at this phase.
As the extraction process when on the emerald green gas became denser and was beginning to show signs of running amuck and exploding as it's berserk nature resisted the energy puppeteering array and it's puppeteer.
Beads of sweat poured down Lu Xie Tong's face, when the energy was within her body she was able to use her void constitution coupled with her peak acupoints unearthing ability to restrain and tame the berserk eof the energy seamlessly, but as more of it were extracted she discovered her control over it's berserk nature was slipping away and soon it would blowup.
She had made a minor miscalculation, though the energy puppeteering array was the bane of it's berserk nature it needed a catalyst; the puppet master which she had done a perfect job as a catalyst when it was within her.
But now it was being extracted the array too was also beginning to loose it catalyst as well as the energy left her body and she didn't have a shard of qi not even the falsified level qi of the third order of the body augmentation stage.
This had been a minor mistake she had not taken into account. She needed a form of qi to act as a catalyst outside her body, it's purity or amount wasn't important. All that was needed was a catalyst which would act as a medium to project her will on the energy.
Seeing this unfolding dilemma unfold Yang Chen threw a smug smile at Lu Xie Tong. While this problem had eluded Lu Xie Tong and probably Yin Yu as well he had seen this huge flaw in a plan right from the onset as clearly as daylight their was no way he would have missed it, but he chose not to point it out, so as to spectate Lu Xie Tong reaction when things developed to this point maybe she had a way of resolving it on her own and if she didn't he would be able to knock her down a peg.
But alas she really didn't see such a glaring flaw in her plans, hence, his current smug face. Deciding to help the little lasses life he pointed a finger in her direction. Treads of qi began flowing mysteriously within Lu Xie Tong, furthermore they weren't falsified level qi either, the qi was foreign, from an external source.
Lu Xie Tong looked up towards Yang Chen a greatfull smile spreading across her face, 'only coal sent during winter was appreciated' she felt this saying true at the moment, but upon meeting Yang Chen's face all her gratitude vanished like a puff of smoke.
Yang Chen's face couldn't be more smug and dripping with sarcasm, which only further enlightened her that Yang Chen must have seen through the flaws in her plan but kept quiet, patiently waiting for this moment. Lu Xie Tong could help but glare at him, malice sprouting unscrupulously.
Yin Yu glanced at them both noticing the malice in one and the mischief in the other. 'At a time like this I can't believe they are still acting so childish.' Yin Yu said mentally as she slowly nodded her head.
Although she didn't understand what was transpiring she needed no soothsayer to inform her it was monkey business.
"Cough..." With a series of forced cough she broke the eye connection between the two that was beginning to give birth to sparks, metaphorically.
Averting her gaze from Yang Chen, Lu Xie Tong took advantage of the qi he had infused into her to control the berserk nature of the energy outside of the body.
The energy became still and placid in no time.
~Afteraninscencestickworthoftime.
The berserk energy had been completely extracted and now it was time for retraction an event more tasking than the last.
With a wave of her sleeves, Yin Yu had manifested a green sapling with four heart shaped leaves conjoined at the epicenter. It was very small about the height of a grown man's finger and had odd veins that spread across it's surface.
"Goodluck whising weed." Yang Chen eyes lit up as he mused, but a different light glowed in Lu Xie Tong's eyes.