"We fight for the Holy Mansion, and we fight for the Lord!"
Jie Qinghe, Jie Zhenfu, and the others pledged their allegiance once more.
Many among them even felt their blood boiling with excitement, believing that they were about to embark on a great battle.
Hum—
But at that very moment, Jie Tianran's figure suddenly retreated to an impossibly far distance.
And in the spot where Jie Tianran had been standing, a dazzling crimson light emerged.
The red glow expanded in an instant, engulfing their army of tens of millions within a single heartbeat.
A strange, fiery red luminescence reflected off the bodies of every single person.
It was at that same moment that their expressions changed drastically.
Every one of them was a Spirit World Master, and they immediately realized that they were trapped inside a grand formation.
This was a Refinement Grand Array!!!
"My Lord, what is the meaning of this?"
Sensing that something was terribly wrong, Jie Zhenfu and Jie Qinghe looked toward Jie Tianran in the distance.
"In truth, none of you have any value whatsoever."
"But your lives still hold some worth."
Jie Tianran said.
Hearing those words, the two Holy-tier Elders and the many other Elders present froze on the spot.
If, until now, they had still believed that Jie Tianran enveloping them in a Refinement Grand Array was perhaps a test, or a punishment, or some other reason—
Then at this moment they could be absolutely certain: Jie Tianran intended to refine them into nothingness.
"My Lord, this old man would rather die in battle for the Seven Realms Holy Mansion than be killed by your hand."
"Even if we are guilty, please send us to the battlefield instead."
"My Lord, please spare me! I am not afraid of death—I simply do not want to die like this!"
In the next instant, millions of pleas for mercy swept through the ranks.
Some were driven by cowardice and the fear of death, but others spoke from the bottom of their hearts.
They would rather die on the battlefield than be refined as punishment by Jie Tianran.
Yet Jie Tianran paid absolutely no heed to their begging. A scroll appeared in the palm of his hand, and five characters were inscribed upon it:
Ancient Divination Art.
Whoosh—
Jie Tianran formed hand seals with his left hand while sweeping his right sleeve through the air.
Both the formation and the scroll underwent a transformation simultaneously.
Ughhh—
Screams of agony pierced the sky.
Countless razor-sharp blades materialized within the formation, plunging through bodies and severing arteries.
Blood rained down like a torrential downpour.
And the scroll rapidly expanded, radiating an eerie glow, before descending to settle beneath the Refinement Grand Array.
In the end, the rain of blood passed through the grand array and converged into a crimson waterfall that poured with perfect precision into the scroll.
"My Lord…"
Now truly feeling the agony of the Refinement Grand Array, the wailing of the people grew even more piercing.
But Jie Zhenfu's face was dark and grim as he roared:
"All of you, shut your mouths!"
"Don't you understand yet?"
"That is the forbidden technique of the Ancient Divination Art."
"Jie Tianran is not punishing us at all. He wants to turn us into sacrifices to fuel the Ancient Divination Art!"
The moment those words left Jie Zhenfu's lips, the vast sea of people fell utterly silent. Every single person found it nearly impossible to believe what they had just heard.
Could it be that Jie Tianran needed them as the key—not because they could actually accomplish anything, but because he wanted their lives?
He wanted them to become sacrifices?
"At last, there is someone who understands."
Jie Tianran said with a faint smile.
"My Lord, why? Why are you doing this?"
At that moment, many people questioned him in disbelief, their hearts filled with unwillingness.
"Everyone, please rest assured."