In the singing, the night wind gradually became sickly sweet.

The spirit beasts sang soft songs while observing Song Qian Ji with cold, sticky gazes, calmly assessing the danger level of this new cultivator.

Spirit beasts enjoyed feeding on cultivators’ flesh and blood but possessed near-human intelligence, being cunning and suspicious, not merely low-level beasts driven by instinct. Seeing him shatter the protective array, they hesitated to approach.

“He’s not the same person as before,” said a spirit beast in a high, thin voice that sounded like long fingernails sliding across solid ice. “Look at his eyes. He’s not afraid of us.”

After the protective array shattered, leaving scattered remnants of array materials and foundations, Song Qian Ji used his long knife to pick out usable pieces, adding a few items from Xian Jian Chen’s storage pouch, and piecing together a new array.

A rough voice sounded from behind: “So Dao Friend Song is an array master. I was worried this array looked almost broken and wouldn’t last two days. Now with Dao Friend repairing the protective shield, we needn’t worry.”

“I know a little,” Song Qian Ji turned to look and saw six people had arrived: besides the rogue cultivator who spoke, there was a noble family’s protector, two female cultivators from the Celestial Sound Sect, and two from the Flower Stream Sect.

The six greeted Song Qian Ji and introduced themselves, but glared coldly at each other.

They needn’t have introduced themselves anyway. Except for the two from the Celestial Sound Sect, he had already encountered these people in his previous life.

The highest-ranked was the noble family’s protector, late Yuan Ying Stage, with long eyebrows and beard, a waxy yellow complexion, wielding black and white paired maces as his natal weapon. Advanced in years and proud of his status, he called himself “Elder Zheng,” while Song Qian Ji had called him “Old Zheng” in his previous life.

The rogue cultivator was a black-faced man, strong as an ox, speaking roughly, using a purple-gold axe. There were four surnamed Liu among the rogue cultivators, and Song Qian Ji couldn’t distinguish their names, so called him “Liu Three.”

The two Flower Stream Sect female cultivators wore their hair in double buns, one dressed in rouge-red, the other in willow-green—a pair of twin sisters. The elder sister was named Yin Zhu, the younger Han Bi. They used identical flexible swords and practiced the same cultivation method. Song Qian Ji could only tell them apart by their clothing colors.

The remaining two Celestial Sound Sect cultivators wore simple dresses with veils. One had just introduced herself as Mu Xia.

The other, tall and slender, remained silent during her sister disciple’s introduction, finally only saying her name: “He Yun.”

Song Qian Ji was momentarily stunned. Among the Celestial Sound Sect female cultivators, someone was willing to use such a plain name?

The noble family’s protector, Old Zheng, was well-traveled and knowledgeable. He stroked his long beard: “This old one observes that this array doesn’t resemble the previous protective array. Is it a trapping array?”

“It’s a labyrinth-type trapping array, but not very large in range…” Before Song Qian Ji could finish speaking, the spirit beasts on the surrounding hills could no longer restrain themselves and launched their first wave of attack.

Hundreds of spirit beasts floated with toes barely touching the ground, black hair flowing, like a dark cloud blocking the sky and moonlight, flying toward the ice cave.

Everyone gathered around Song Qian Ji, their expressions relatively calm.

They had managed to hold out until now, each having their methods to resist the spirit beasts’ song illusions, as long as they didn’t directly engage these creatures…

“Ah!” Liu Three screamed, “Where did it come from!”

A ghastly pale, strange beautiful face suddenly appeared inches away, fingernails over three inches long nearly scratching his eyelids. He swung his axe, but the spirit beast still tore open his robe, leaving three bone-deep wounds on his right arm, blood gushing.

Another spirit beast, attracted by the smell of blood, pounced but was knocked away by a black scabbard.

Song Qian Ji said: “Be careful. Among hundreds, a few will inevitably find the labyrinth exit by accident.”

Old Zheng summoned his pair of maces, angrily saying: “This isn’t ‘not very large in range’—this has no range at all!”

“Since the array is useless,” Liu Three’s eyes darted, “I’ll trouble everyone to hold on briefly while I quickly go fetch Supervisor Zi Ye!”

With that, he turned and ran toward the cave entrance.

Seeing spirit beasts pouring in endlessly, who would want to stay here and die?

Only one person could fight them.

Zi Ye Wen Shu, because of his far superior combat strength, had always fought and retreated alone.

Even Yuan Ying protectors of the same level wouldn’t dare say they could last twenty moves against him and thus were even less willing to fight alongside him, lest they appear inferior to a young man.

The stronger he was, the more useless others felt. The more silent he remained, the more others felt entitled.

Additionally, his complexion was already too pale, and he rarely showed expression. Even if he suffered serious injuries, those around him couldn’t tell any difference.

Now most people in the cave were still waiting for him to recover properly and lead everyone in breaking out.

Hearing this, Song Qian Ji gave a light “Ah” of regret: “Good idea. Too bad it’s too late.”

He swung the black scabbard, raising and lowering it: “When I said I know a little, I meant my skills are unrefined. I intended to set up a trapping array, but didn’t expect that once the array locked, things could enter but not exit.”

“Song Qian Ji, what do you mean?” Liu Three cursed loudly, “Are you trying to kill us?”

If not for the spirit beasts entangling him, his axe would have already struck Song Qian Ji.

The two Flower Stream Sect female cultivators drew ornaments from their waists, transforming them into two brilliantly silver flexible swords.

Yin Zhu said: “If he wanted to harm you, why would he also be here? The urgent matter now is to find a way out and contact Dao Friend Zi Ye.”

Han Bi said: “Dao Friend Song set up the array, he must have a way to dispel it.”

The trapping array completely covered the cave entrance. Spirit beasts wanting to enter the cave had to break through the array.

Meanwhile, the seven people were inside the array, being the first to face the attack.

Spirit beasts over a thousand years old were top predators in the secret realm. Their floor-length black hair was as tough as snake bodies, able to strangle cultivators’ necks; their sharp fangs could crush cultivators’ refined bones; their long fingernails were like swords, able to tear through robes embroidered with mystical symbols as easily as paper.

Song Qian Ji said: “We’re at the center of this array, with constantly changing labyrinths around us. The spirit beasts have entered the array and surrounded us. If we dispel the array…” He didn’t need to finish.

—After removing the array, how would they fight their way out?

The Flower Stream Sect female cultivators spoke no more. The two stood back-to-back, their flexible swords creating an impenetrable barrier of sword light in a semicircle.

“Going out means death,” Liu Three cursed, “Staying here only means dying a little later!”

These words stirred desperate feelings in the others, who immediately stopped holding back, summoning their personal magical weapons and throwing attack talismans outward.

They only wanted to delay a bit longer, praying that Zi Ye Wen Shu would grow concerned and come out to investigate.

For a time, explosions and colorful lights filled the air.

“There is still one method,” Song Qian Ji said.

“What are you waiting for, waiting to attend my funeral?” Liu Three shouted.

“Please enlighten us, Dao Friend,” Mu Xia stood beside her fellow disciple He Yun, covered with countless protective talismans, only concerned with awkwardly avoiding attacks.

Liu Three glanced at such rich possessions and immediately grew envious.

In He Yun’s hand, a white silk ribbon danced in the air, blocking spirit beast attacks. But this was not her natal weapon, and she wielded it somewhat stiffly.

“This array is called the ‘Big Dipper Trapping and Killing Array.’ It can trap and kill, but originally it lacked several arrays of materials, making the killing part difficult to complete. Fortunately, there are seven of us. If everyone follows my arrangement, with each person standing at one of the seven-star positions to anchor the array, coordinating with my array changes, the power can increase sevenfold. This should sustain us until dawn without problem,” Song Qian Ji said.

Everyone was delighted.

Yin Zhu smiled: “Silly if you had such a good method, why didn’t you say so earlier!”

“After forming the killing array, the seven people’s energies will be connected. The power multiplies, but if one is injured, all are injured,” Song Qian Ji said.

Liu Three jumped in: “I knew there’s no such thing as a free midnight snack. Still better than waiting to die.”

Old Zheng said: “We’re all trapped here tonight, already grasshoppers on the same boat.”

He Yun said: “We two from the Celestial Sound Sect are here, willing to follow Dao Friend’s instructions.”

Han Bi heard her “calm and dignified” tone and found it affected, getting goosebumps: “Stop wasting words, finding a way to survive is urgent.”

“Then let’s reluctantly try,” Song Qian Ji said. “Dao Friend Zheng takes the Tianqiu position, Immortal Lady Yin Zhu takes Tianxuan, Immortal Lady Han Bi takes Tianji, I’ll take Tianquan, Dao Friend Zheng takes Yuheng, and the two Immortal Ladies from the Celestial Sound Sect take Kaiyang and Yaoguang respectively. How does that sound?”

As the others agreed, Old Zheng exclaimed urgently: “Wait, Dao Friend Song! My array of knowledge is poor, but I can still count stars. With my highest cultivation, I should be in the critical and dangerous Tianquan position where the Big Dipper’s handle connects. The two Immortal Ladies from the Celestial Sound Sect primarily cultivate musical arts, having the weakest combat power, and should be placed separately. And you, with the Snow Blade knife’s strongest killing intent, should take the killing star Yuheng position…”

Hearing this, everyone immediately understood.

He Yun said: “Dao Friend Song should consider how to make the array strongest, not worry about our relationships! I’m willing to stand next to the two Dao Friends from the Flower Stream Sect.”

Yin Zhu said: “Life or death depends on tonight. We from the Flower Stream Sect are also willing to join hands with the Celestial Sound Sect to resist the enemy.”

“Good,” Song Qian Ji sighed in “relief” and rearranged the positions.

The seven flew to their places like birds returning to the forest, each taking their position.

Within the array, energy flowed, light bloomed at seven points like twinkling stars, and everyone’s pressure was instantly reduced.

Mu Xia transmitted a message across space: “Senior Sister, this is suspicious. How convenient that the seven of us would be injured together. Is he doing this deliberately?”

He Yun watched Song Qian Ji’s back: “How could he know there would be seven of us? If he set up this array intending to harm people, he could have placed himself outside.”

Song Qian Ji indeed hadn’t lied.

How many people came tonight determined what array this would be. He could adjust and change the array at any time.

If not the Big Dipper Seven Stars Array, there was “Eight Gates Golden Lock,” “Nine Characters Chain,” or “Ten Directions Rakshasa.” Even if twenty people came, he could arrange everyone perfectly.

Unless the other party’s array mastery was stronger than his, they couldn’t disrupt his plans.

As for those truly stronger than him, they were still drinking life-extending medicine at Purple Cloud Temple.

The good situation didn’t last long. More and more spirit beasts poured into the array, and the seven were drenched in cold sweat.

He Yun suddenly heard Song Qian Ji’s voice, but did not address her—he was instructing the other star position cultivators.

He was guiding their fighting techniques.

The other star positions were greatly encouraged, as if tigers had grown wings.

Thus, the two weakest points dragging down the array were the Celestial Sound Sect positions.

He Yun frowned slightly.

If they survived this night, when these people returned, they would share their gains with fellow disciples, and everyone would vie to enter the array for the night watch.

In the long run, only the Celestial Sound Sect would gain nothing.

Though tonight’s survival remained uncertain, her thoughts reached far, already contemplating the situation days later.

“The two Immortal Ladies need not continue consuming defensive magical tools. Please take out your handy musical instruments,” Song Qian Ji said.

He Yun’s voice penetrated the special veil, sounding unclear: “Dao Friend Song, these things aren’t human. Our practiced Celestial Sound Technique has limited effect on them. Even if all our sect members in the cave played together, it would be a drop in the bucket.”

Song Qian Ji said: “Do you have an extra instrument? Throw one to me.”

Something was tossed through the air—a short purple bamboo flute. Compared to the two cultivators’ possessions, this item was crude and simple.

Song Qian Ji didn’t mind: “I’ll play a tune. Ignore their singing and accompany my melody.”

Mu Xia and He Yun didn’t move, still holding their defensive shields.

Old Zheng urged: “Don’t hesitate, you two! This array is led by Song Qian Ji. When we use our techniques, he can sense where the problems lie. Dao Friend Song’s knowledge is extensive. Following his words will surely benefit you both.”

Mu Xia cautiously glanced in He Yun’s direction, thinking: How could your path of weapon and magic cultivation be the same as music cultivation?

Do you know who this “He Yun” before you is?

In her presence, you dare claim to understand music?

“Dao Friend Song understands music?” He Yun’s tone was somewhat strange.

“I know a little,” Song Qian Ji brought the bamboo flute to his lips.

A clear, melodious flute sound floated out, like birds singing in an empty mountain.