Atlas of Heaven and Man.

Chapter 1425 Thunder Rumbles in the Ghostly Sky

Under the impact of more than ten spiritual forces, the seemingly thick and unyielding fog above Youdu was instantly eroded into ever-expanding holes.

Such a large-scale attack from multiple directions awakened the numerous ritual fields covering the capital city, and the earth trembled violently as these overlapping fields collided and impacted.

Beneath the surface of Youdu, towering golden pillars now stand, their roots submerged in a viscous silver liquid. After the impact and vibration, they suddenly begin to rumble and rotate, the liquid slowly flowing and swirling around the pillars, emitting a dazzling light.

This is another ritual artifact that shares the power of the attack. Any power that the field cannot resolve in time will be absorbed here and then enter the molten liquid prepared from the secret ritual materials on the ground.

This method of using multiple nested fields to defend against attacks prevents the capital's defenses from being breached in one fell swoop.

Even so, the intense bombardment still shook the entire city. In areas with a stronger ceremonial response, the ground undulated like waves, and buildings swayed violently.

This is where you can see the difference between the two attacks.

The same spiritual impact appears to cause greater damage when the attack is launched by a group of people working together.

But in reality, Chen Chuan's strike was concentrated and powerful, and after piercing through the black mist, it struck the ground below.

Although the impact was dampened and dissipated during the process, the mobilized power of the secret instrument was forced to gather and contract, which meant that the energy consumed in the collision was basically borne and absorbed by the secret instrument itself.

Although the shockwaves caused by the attack caused considerable damage to the city, only some insignificant buildings were actually damaged.

The meticulously planned ritual field, through its reasonable layout, disperses and guides the pressure to these areas, effectively distributing the impact force and minimizing the consumption of the ritual itself.

Outsiders might not understand, but the many Dongxuan Temple fighters who were involved saw it very clearly.

They couldn't help but admire Chen Chuan's attack, which was not only powerful but also demonstrated his meticulous control over his spiritual fire.

Despite their amazement, they did not stop their attack. After a short while, another wave of bombardment came down. This spiritual impact was hardly a drain on the fighters of Dongxuan Temple.

As long as communication between their spirits and the heavens above remains, they can continue indefinitely. In the realm of fusion, their communication with the heavens above becomes even smoother.

At this moment, in four different locations in the city, General Yuchi Bin and the three remaining Xuanji martial artists from the Dongxuan Temple, who were the only ones left in the old imperial family, were guarding the key positions.

At this moment, they are all deploying their own domain and spirit to bear a portion of the impact force.

Despite their cooperation, the repeated attacks from more than ten Dongxuan Temple fighters, even if none of them used their full strength, inevitably caused damage and destruction to the secret ritual.

The secret rituals, accumulated over a century, are like a massive sand dune being continuously eroded.

Soon, some of the inscriptions on the ritual objects inside crumbled away due to the vibrations and wear, leaving only piles of scattered ritual material powder on the ground.

The appointed ritual officials, along with a large number of ritual masters, guarded various important positions. Whenever they saw large patches of ritual materials fading and peeling off the walls and floors, someone would immediately place a ritual board that had been prepared in advance on them, while someone else would be responsible for repairing and repainting them from behind.

They were still using old-fashioned repair methods from over a hundred years ago. After all, the secret rituals were fundamental to them, and the ritual masters were long controlled by the imperial family, so they rarely communicated with the outside world in this regard.

Every now and then, under the chaotic resonance of the ritual field, several ritual masters responsible for repairs could be seen being shocked to death on the spot, falling straight down.

However, these people would be dragged away by the guards in charge of the guard duty, and then someone with a numb expression would immediately come up to replace them.

It's hard to say how long this kind of consumption can last.

The materials for the secret ritual are actually quite good, as it is backed by the vast resources of the land of fusion, so it is not lacking in this aspect at all.

However, the number of people present was another matter. It wasn't until the count was taken just before the battle that it was discovered that only one-third of the ritual masters on the roster were actually present; the remaining two-thirds were simply listed by name.

The situation behind this is far too complicated for the eunuchs who were sent to supervise to investigate. They could only bring up the apprentices who were still learning and recruit people from various noble families.

But this is only a passive defense. Even if the Shun side does not have the secret map, in theory they can find the weak points of Youdu through repeated probing, it will just take a little longer, and the result will not be much different.

Therefore, the best course of action for Youdu is to come out and obstruct the enemy, preventing them from launching such an unbridled attack. However, the repeated losses of their main forces have made it almost their only option to remain inactive and defend.

Chen Chuan hovered above Youdu. After launching his first attack, he did not continue to attack, but instead paid attention to the display on his mask.

Above is a diagram of the entire secret ritual layout of Youdu. Wen Mingzhong sent him the diagram along with the field reaction, so that he could clearly see the changes in the field of each part.

Behind them, five active consciousness entities were working with Wen Mingzhong to analyze the data on the changes in the field. In just a short moment, wisps of heat rose from the bodies of the active consciousness entities.

Chen Chuan didn't urge him. He knew that finding the field vulnerability required first finding the active nodes inside, and then piecing together a path that went deep inside by connecting the gaps between these nodes.

This is not easy; it requires a lot of deduction and calculation. Moreover, it cannot be obtained solely by computing power, because the field incorporates extremely unstable spiritual forces, which means that there are many uncertainties involved. It cannot be fully expressed by data, so it can only be achieved through slow and gradual attrition.

In fact, this kind of old-fashioned defense system can probably only be seen in the old imperial dynasties nowadays. In modern countries, secret codes are only used for sealing off important areas, and are more miniaturized and precise. As for city defense, nowadays they rely on large-scale field creatures, and both have their advantages and disadvantages.

But without a doubt, this practice of investing national resources in a single city is outdated in today's world.

Inside the Yunzhi Pavilion, listening to the rumbling vibrations outside and feeling the swaying of the pavilion, the five elders all wore solemn expressions.

More than these noises, they were worried about the internal situation. Being attacked without being able to fight back would severely damage morale. And without people, the entire Youdu would be nothing but an empty shell.

Grand Secretary Fang couldn't help but say, "Grand Secretary, fellow Grand Secretaries, are we simply supposed to sit here and watch?"

Grand Secretary Shi then said, "Your Majesty has two sons, both of whom are fierce and brave, and possess the talent of generals. May Your Majesty order the two princes to leave the palace to assist in the defense, so as to boost the morale of the army?"

The other two Grand Secretaries nodded in agreement.

One person bluntly stated, "We are now protecting the Yuan family's empire. How can the younger generation of the Yuan family cower in the deep palace and stand idly by?"

The situation was critical, and the elders' words became increasingly sharp.

They didn't all rise to their positions solely through Emperor Wenguang's promotion. They achieved their current positions thanks to the support of higher-ups, namely the approval of the two Yuan clan ancestors they worshipped.

Normally they would carefully observe the duties of a ruler and his subjects, but now that the country is in danger of falling, they will no longer be so polite.

Grand Secretary Hong said in a deep voice, "I, Hong, shall enter the palace to meet the Emperor." He bowed and said, "I would like to ask all of you Grand Secretaries to stay here and preside over the overall situation."

"it is good."

The four elders all solemnly bowed.

After leaving Yunzhi Pavilion, Grand Secretary Hong did not even take a carriage this time, but rode a horse to Yunmeng Garden. When he arrived in front of Changlun Pavilion, he saw the old eunuch standing on the steps in front of the pavilion.

The man bowed and said to Grand Secretary Hong, who had dismounted, "Grand Secretary, please return. His Majesty is currently in meditation and will not see any foreign ministers today."

Grand Secretary Hong frowned and said, "Does Your Majesty think you can simply hide from the situation? The situation outside is extremely precarious. The army of the false dynasty could breach the city in a few days. At that time, can Your Majesty still turn a blind eye?"

The old eunuch bowed and said calmly, "Grand Secretary, you flatter me. His Majesty has entrusted all foreign affairs to you. Isn't that enough trust in you Grand Secretaries?"

Grand Secretary Hong said, “Your Majesty and I have served as ministers for many years. I know Your Majesty to be far-sighted and magnanimous. In times of crisis, no decision can be made without Your Majesty’s intervention. I beg Your Majesty to provide a strategy to reassure the ministers and stabilize the hearts of the army and the people.”

Inside the pavilion, Emperor Wenguang leaned against the couch, holding a scripture scroll in his hand, seemingly oblivious to the sounds outside, occasionally turning a page slowly.

When the noise outside subsided, the old eunuch came in, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Grand Secretary said that he will not leave if Your Majesty does not see him."

Emperor Wenguang put down his book and said, "The Grand Secretary is getting old. Go and get him a chair and a cup of ginseng tea to refresh him."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Grand Secretary Hong waited for a while, and when he saw two eunuchs bring over a round stool covered with brocade, he didn't stand on ceremony. He lifted the hem of the stool, sat down directly, and took the ginseng tea, taking a sip.

He meant what he said; he wouldn't leave until he saw Emperor Wenguang today.

Emperor Wenguang continued to flip through the book, occasionally adding a few comments in the margins.

The roar outside grew louder and louder until it reached him as well, causing the pen holder and paperweight on his desk to throb.

He looked toward the pond on one side, where ripples shot out from the water, willow branches swayed, and golden carp in the pond jumped around in a panic.

He asked, "What time is it?"

The old eunuch replied, "Your Majesty, it is three-quarters past Shen Shi (3:45 PM)."

Emperor Wenguang then asked, "How is Prince Yong doing?"

The old servant whispered, "Your Majesty, Prince Yong just came to report that the crevice under the lake has been opened, but it is still a little unstable. In another half hour, it should be ready, and he will come to report to Your Majesty then."

Emperor Wenguang thought for a moment, then closed the book. "I won't wait any longer. I'll change my clothes and prepare the carriage for Green Eye Lake."

……

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(End of this chapter)