The Great Capital Heavenly Shifting Array?

  Stirling listened to Lance, then his eyes moved beyond the stacked complicated runes, landing on the slightly smaller platform ahead.

  This small, round platform, an inch off the ground, now had several vertical black shadows. Stirling peered closely and saw that the shadows were the statues he had wanted!

  The statues stood in a circle on the stone platform, all blood-red. In the center was a crystal-colored statue!

  This was the first time Stirling had ever seen such a crystal-colored statue. Even in the dim light, it gave off a faint glow. This made it look very mysterious at first glance.

  "Master, there are 12 blood-red statues and one crystal statue. They support the entire array."

  Each month, I need to replace these 12 blood-red statues. I'll put them on the lift platform and look for any slight changes in the array because of crustal movement.

  Lance spoke, gesturing for Stirling to follow him to see.

  "You mean 12 blood-red statues is produced here every month?"

  Stirling felt rather overjoyed.

  "Yes, Master, these are all registered and subject to strict quotas. Worshippers at Yearning Palace will get and use divine statues from all over Monterey Kingdom. They can do this without leaving their homes."

  Lance said.

  "And what about this crystal-colored one?"

  Stirling pointed to the crystal-colored statue in the center.

  "Master, please don't point randomly. This crystal statue is to hold a hint of divinity. It is believed to communicate with the deity."

  Lance hurriedly blocked Stirling's finger.

  Is there such a saying? Stirling felt surprised at first, then a bit lucky. He realized that to understand the enemy; he needed to infiltrate their ranks. Otherwise, if he relied only on his own exploration, he didn't know when he would uncover all those secrets.

  "Master, the crystal-colored statue only needs to be replaced every six months. It is the core of the great formation and cannot be moved carelessly."

  Lance added.

  Stirling gazed at the statues with regret. He wondered if, with all these statues absorbed, he could ascend to immortality?

  Thinking of this, Stirling felt somewhat unwilling and asked: "Is there any other way to take these statues without alerting others?"

  "Master, there's no way. Not only can these statues not be moved carelessly, but even if they were, they cannot be taken out."

  Lance saw through Stirling's thoughts and quickly dissuaded him.

  He didn't understand why Stirling wanted the malice. Still, he wouldn't ask unless Stirling brought it up. All he needed to do was offer advice.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Stirling stroked his chin, lost in thought.

  He considered whether to go all in, absorb everything, and escape the city.

  But he quickly abandoned the idea.

  The time was too short. It took him three hours to take in the blood-red statue, which had only a bit of its malice left. If he were to absorb everything here, it would be too late, even by dawn.

  "My Malice-Converting Technique proficiency is still too low. If I mastered it, the absorption speed might increase significantly."

  Stirling sighed to himself. He decided that when he got more lifespan, he would do everything he could to upgrade all his martial arts levels.

  "Does this malice flow into the statues every night when the splendid array operates?"

  Stirling asked again.

  "Yes, this malice absorbs desire. Then, it's changed by the array and placed into these statues without leaking," Lance explained.

  "Can the blood-red statues move?" Stirling asked again.

  "The crimson statues aren't the core of the formation, so they are movable. But not too many." Lance at least gave a definite answer.

  "How many are movable at most?"

  "Three at the most." Lance said.

  "Alright, move the statues first, making room for three, then wait for me at the back." Stirling gave the order.

  Lance nodded, then jogged toward the group of statues.

  Stirling stepped back and watched Lance walk away. Then, he quietly activated the Malice-Converting Technique.

  To Stirling's surprise, there was no sign of Malice in the area with the statues.

  Stirling wondered. The fragments he got before released a lot of malice. But here, it felt strange, as if all that malice were locked away.

  Confused, Stirling followed Lance upstairs. He watched as Lance carried the crimson statues down, one by one, from the stone platform to a nearby wall.

  Then, Lance tapped a spot on the wall, and in an instant, the wall slowly opened to reveal a huge opening!

  Inside the opening was a wooden platform secured by ropes. On the platform sat a large wooden box, and beside it were many crimson statues—Stirling estimated there were a dozen.

  "Why so many? Are they useful?" Stirling's eyes lit up, then he looked at Lance and asked.

  "Master, these are the statues used for the monthly exchange; the number is on record."

  Lance explained as he put the nine statues he had just taken from the formation into the large wooden box on the platform. He then brought out new statues from the caves and placed them in the empty spaces left by the unloaded statues.

  Now Stirling understands.

  At the start of each month, Lance's task was to replace the statues filled with malice. He would set the empty new statues in the grand array to soak up the fresh energy.

  This scene reminded Stirling of the empty beer bottles waiting to be filled on the beer production line on Earth.

  Stirling noticed the three empty spaces Lance had left on purpose. He got what Lance meant.

  "Master, the Yearning Malice fluctuates with population variations. Still, it can fill at least nine statues each month, leaving a maximum of three empty spaces."

  "Once this grand array is on, a steady flow of Malice will fill these spaces, Master, and you can collect it."

  Lance still thought Stirling wanted to gather the Malice. After all, Stirling had given him a Malice container.

  As for how to collect it, Lance guessed it was related to the wooden tubes and lamps that Stirling had brought in.

  Lance wouldn't consider any further details. In his mind, a figure like Stirling sat cross-legged in the void. This vision fed his daily and nightly devotion, making him as faithful as a believer.

  Stirling's words felt like divine commands to him. He couldn't tell right from wrong, and he never questioned it.

  Stirling, meanwhile, looked at the statues Lance had newly placed in the array and asked curiously:

  "These new statues, just left there like that, without wooden boxes?"

  "Master hasn't yet worshipped the deities, so naturally you don't know. 'These new statues lack any malice, so they don't need wooden boxes like the others,' Lance explained patiently.

  Upon hearing this, Stirling realized that there was such a distinction between statues. A statue was only a container. Malice was like cola poured inside. Once someone opened the cola bottle, it would keep leaking air.

  Meanwhile, Lance had already placed the statues. He gave Stirling a few more instructions, then took the torch and retreated.

  Stirling watched the flame fade into the darkness. He took out a lamp and dipped his finger in grease. Then, he drew the Blood God Temple's exorcising runes on it.

  In no time, Stirling lit lamps in the two empty circles. He then sat in the middle seat and reversed his Aether, using the Malice-Converting Technique.

  Now, everything was ready except for the final touch!