Just when the great array seemed about to collapse, the array patterns on the formation suddenly transformed, and hundreds of crimson strands surged out, turning into complex and mysterious runes. These runes interwove and entangled, forming large round array patterns that coalesced in the void, with flames surging inside.

The next moment, huge bursts of crimson flames erupted wildly from the array patterns, shooting towards the crowd like a violent storm of pear blossoms.

Upon seeing this, everyone was startled and hurriedly deployed their skills to resist, or frantically dodged and defended, instantly dissolving their initial offensive.

Outside the hall, flames erupted like a tempest, accompanied by constant roaring and exploding sounds that lasted for quite a while before subsiding.

The Dharma Manifestation Stage great powers managed to cope well, while among the Returning to Void Stage cultivators, several unlucky individuals got hit by the flames, leaving numerous scorch marks on their bodies, looking quite embarrassed.

This attempt undoubtedly ended in failure.

Following Wu Yu's proposal, everyone brainstormed and attempted several more times, but results were still fruitless.

"A seventh-level array has its own system, often able to repair itself and change formations. It usually doesn't have obvious flaws. Without a targeted array-breaking technique, such attempts are meaningless," Sima Changqin said.

Wu Yu remained silent, her beautiful eyes glimmering with a hint of regret.

Her predictive ability shows a very vague future, merely observing that the forbidden-breaking involves Yuan Ming, but exactly how to break the forbidden remains unknown.

"Fellow Daoist Wan, earlier in the Fire Rock Desert, you were ambushed by the Black River Four Foes. Since you returned safely, they must have been slain by you, right?" At this moment, Sima Changqin suddenly looked at Yuan Ming and asked.

Hearing this, Yuan Ming's eyebrows furrowed immediately.

He didn't understand why Sima Changqin would suddenly bring this up. Was it provocation, or settling scores?

Others heard this and their attention was drawn to the scene.

"What do you mean by asking this? Whether they are dead, doesn't your heart know?" Yuan Ming slowly replied.

"I wanted to ask, when they were besieging you, was the set of magic treasures they used the Four Mountains Linked Seal? Did that thing end up in your hands?" Sima Changqin ignored the displeasure in Yuan Ming's tone and continued to ask.

Yuan Ming said nothing, flipping his wrist, revealing four small mountain-shaped seals in his palm.

"Yes, that's the thing," Sima Changqin, seeing the Four Mountains Linked Seal, nodded and smiled.

Yuan Ming found his expression inexplicable, looking at Sima Changqin and said, "A great man should dare to act. Since you sent the Black River Four Foes to assassinate me, why do you make such a demeanor?"

"Sent the Black River Four Foes to assassinate you? Fellow Daoist Wan misunderstand, I haven't done such a thing. The Black River Four Foes were a menace, how could I be involved with such people?" Sima Changqin smiled slightly in surprise.

Yuan Ming, hearing this, stared intently at Sima Changqin.

Instead of defending, Sima Changqin's first reaction was confusion, which is not typical of a liar's language pattern.

Looking at his expression now, Yuan Ming also felt it wasn't intentionally faked.

Evidently, the one who sent people to assassinate Yuan Ming was really not Sima Changqin.

"Sorry, it was a misunderstanding on my part," Yuan Ming slightly cupped his hand and said.

But after saying it, he sank into a bout of confusion.

All this time, he always thought that the methods targeting him, including the ambush by the Black River Four Foes, were orchestrated by Sima Changqin. Unexpectedly, it was someone else.

But if not Sima Changqin, then who?

Since arriving at White Emperor City, Yuan Ming had kept himself secluded, not making enemies except with Sima Changqin. So who would go to such lengths to hire the Black River Four Foes to kill him?

Yuan Ming remained silent. Only after controlling Wang Fulong could he know the truth.

"Fellow Daoist Wan, since the Four Mountains Linked Seal is truly in your possession, we have hope of breaking the forbidden," Sima Changqin did not mind Yuan Ming's questioning and ignored his apology, continuing.

"Isn't the Four Mountains Linked Seal a set of spiritual treasures with both offensive and defensive capabilities? Does it have some special function?" Yuan Ming puzzled.

"You haven't refined this thing, right? As far as I know, the Four Mountains Linked Seal was crafted by a master from the Hui Clan known as 'Four Mountains Wanderer.' Their clan is very peculiar; even their divine souls differ from normal people. They can read classics at ten- to hundredfold speed of ordinary people and possess the ability to never forget, comprehending common knowledge swiftly, thus learning remarkably fast. It can be said that almost every member of their clan is learned and knowledgeable," explained Sima Changqin.

Everyone around, hearing about the "Hui Clan" for the first time, leaned in to listen.

"Thus, the Hui people love collecting all kinds of classics, whether they are cultivation techniques, secret techniques, formations, talismans, beast taming, or artifact refining, all these fields they delve into deeply. Once they specialize in one path, they often become leading figures in it. Four Mountains Wanderer, who refined the Four Mountains Linked Seal, is a prime example," Sima Changqin continued.

He then briefly introduced Four Mountains Wanderer's life, and everyone came to know that although his cultivation was not as high as Mahayana, he had reached the level of a seventh-level array master in array Dao comprehension, culminating in the first realm battle unexpectedly, fading into the river of history.

"The Four Mountains Linked Seal is the most precious innate spiritual treasure crafted by Four Mountains Wanderer during his lifetime. Rumor has it that while refining this treasure, his array Dao insights were fused into it, and it has always been regarded as an extension of the legacy he left behind. After Four Mountains Wanderer's demise, many who specialized in array Dao obtained the seal, trying to comprehend this legacy but, unfortunately, no one succeeded," concluded Sima Changqin.

"In whose hands did this seal ultimately ended up?" Yuan Ming asked.

"As far as I know, the Four Mountains Linked Seal ended up in the hands of the Taixuan Sect." Sima Changqin glanced at Yuan Ming and said.

"Taixuan Sect..." Yuan Ming furrowed his brows.

He had no connection with the Taixuan Sect, how could his assassination be linked to this prominent sect?

"Do you intend to use the Array Dao Inheritance within the Four Mountains Linked Seal to break the restriction of Xihe Palace?" Yuan Ming quickly ceased his thoughts and asked.

"Indeed, you should refine this seal as soon as possible, and carefully comprehend it, perhaps you might find a way to break the impasse." Sima Changqin nodded, glanced at Wu Yu, and said.

"In that case, I must bother Fellow Daoist Wan." Wu Yu had been silently listening to the conversation between the two, and now he nodded to Yuan Ming.

Yuan Ming nodded, then sat cross-legged and began refining the four seals.

Being continuously purified by the Power of Ten Thousand Wood Origin, his mana was already extremely refined, almost exceeding the Dharma manifestation Stage, and his Divine Soul Power was exceptionally strong, thus the refining speed was very fast, quickly touching the rune formation within one seal.

Yuan Ming showed a look of astonishment, indeed the Four Mountains Linked Seal was different from ordinary Spiritual Treasures, which have rune formations composed of runes, the more runes the higher the level.

But the Four Mountains Linked Seal was different, the rune formation within this treasure was composed of array patterns, each rune formation had as many as three hundred and sixty array patterns.

Two array patterns were in a bright state, while the other three hundred and fifty-eight were dim.

Yuan Ming raised his brows slightly, and infused mana into the two array patterns.

The two array patterns quickly expanded, and after a few breaths, they exploded with a "bang", transforming into two miniature arrays, precisely the Silver Light Water Moon Trapping Array and Mountain Array that the Black River Four Foes used to ambush him.

Yuan Ming's eyes showed a sudden realization, as he infused mana into one dim array pattern.

The array pattern gradually brightened and quickly expanded.

Yuan Ming increased the mana infusion, soon breaking through a certain limit, the array pattern completely illuminated, and then with a "bang" it shattered, transforming into a miniature array.

This array seemed to be a kind of confinement array, reaching the level five standard.

He examined the miniature array for a while and withdrew his mana.

The three miniature arrays simultaneously shrank back into three array patterns.

"Indeed, the Four Mountains Linked Seal has such a great origin, it wouldn't be so simple; every array pattern within this treasure is transformed from an array." Yuan Ming's eyes flickered as he murmured to himself.

With this thought, he continued to infuse mana into other array patterns, quickly lighting them all up.

The arrays formed by these array patterns varied in level, the lowest being fourth-level arrays, and the highest being seventh-level arrays.

However, seventh-level arrays were extremely rare, with only one in the rune formation of this seal.

As for the effects of the arrays, all were confinement types.

The rune formation within the seal was also extremely mysterious, linking so many arrays together, even enabling them to be used in combination, the exquisiteness was unprecedented for Yuan Ming.

"No wonder the Black River Four Foes could deploy nested arrays, it turns out it was because of this." Yuan Ming suddenly realized.

He then operated the mana to refine the other three seals.

Yuan Ming focused on refining, not noticing the change occurring in the four seals, the color became more profound, and mysterious patterns emerged on the seals.

"I didn't expect him to truly comprehend the inheritance of the Four Mountains Wanderer!" Sima Changqin's eyes flashed with surprise upon seeing this scene.

The Four Mountains Linked Seal had been obtained by several Array Masters, even sixth-level Array Masters, yet none had acquired the inheritance of the Four Mountains Wanderer, how could Wan Tianren fathom it? Could this person's array formation cultivation possibly be approaching level seven Array Master?

Sima Changqin's mind flashed an image of Xi Ying, his eyes swept over with a shadow.

The others were not familiar with the Four Mountains Linked Seal, but seeing the transformation of the four seals at this moment, they speculated some aspect of it, several from the Demon Clan couldn't help but whisper among themselves.

"Silence." Wu Yu immediately stopped them.

She could see that Yuan Ming was currently immersed in comprehending the Four Mountains Linked Seal, pivotal to breaking the current situation, hence no disturbance could be tolerated.

Sima Changqin also gestured to maintain silence, and everyone closed their mouths.

For a moment, the entire outside of the great hall plunged into a deathly silence.

Sima Changqin sat cross-legged, gently stroked the strings of the zither, and strands of ethereal music reverberated around.

The ethereal music not only isolated the influence from the outside world but also seeped into the depths of the Divine Soul like gentle rainwater, making people become introverted and focused.