The array lights up, as golden as Lan Zhan's eyes, bursting into life, and as Wei Ying watches, its power runs around the outer rings of containment. Anticipation curls like a serpent in his belly as his eyes follow the channelled energy...only for it to fizzle and burn out.
It's so sudden that for a moment, no one knows what to do. All the cultivators glance at one another in confusion, and the transference of spiritual energy is halted. Wei Ying runs to the spot where it died, thinking furiously and trying to determine the reason why.
He runs through the arrays in his head, while Lan Zhan comes to stand next to him, holding out the physical copies, and they soon locate the problem. The character for water is used in the wrong position, and they quickly replace it for the air character. Wei Ying checks the arrays again and spots another mistake, correcting it just as speedily. Hours pass by as they check and re-check until he thinks it's finally ready.
"Do not feel bad," Lan Qiren comes to stand next to them. "With an undertaking this huge, it is to be expected that there will be unforeseen hiccups." His gaze flickers towards the cultivators gathered on one side, talking amongst themselves. "Not a single person here could have thought of something so complex, so put away any discouragement, and let's continue."
Both Lan Zhan and Wei Ying bow to him in deference.
Four hours have passed, and now they are going to try once more. It is Wu Shi, the two hours of time that the Celestial Horse watches over, and they must get it right. Otherwise, months of work and preparations will have been for nothing.
Everyone gets into their original places, and when Lan Qiren gives the signal again, they begin. Rather ominously, lightning streaks across the skies and thunder bellows like a great beast, an invisible dragon hiding among the clouds.
Here, right in front of them, once more, the array lights up, as golden as the sun. This time, the energy feels like a firecracker zipping around the outer circle much faster, lighting up the characters as it travels until the whole array is glowing like a beacon. Spiritual energy is fired into the batteries, and Wei Ying holds his breath, hoping it will be okay now. The batteries begin to glow blue, slowly absorbing the power directed into them, but now Wei Ying thinks the whole process is not accelerating fast enough.
"We're going to need more power," he calls out. "Can the eight in charge of the containment arrays around the Yin Iron pieces also contribute?" Initially, only four of them were going to be used, but now Wei Ying doesn't want to take any chances.
His eyes narrow as the four smaller containment rings begin to shine with a golden light, but they need more power. His skin feels itchy with expectations and anticipation, making his blood sizzle in his veins. This entire network of arrays needs to be shining, and so far, only about three-quarters of it is.
So Wei Ying decides to go for it. All or nothing.
"Everyone!" He shouts, determined to get their full attention. "All of you join in! Extra people on the batteries, now!"
As soon as the words leave his lips, people race to their correct places and begin feeding their qi into the arrays, eight of them stabilising the containment arrays and the rest of them channelling their power towards the batteries.
The arrays light up like a firework on the ground, bright, luminous, and brilliant, chasing away the darkness of the approaching storm. Here, where they're standing, the light is too bright, white and blinding, and terribly unnatural.
But then, without any warning, the Heavens open, and the rain comes down in wave after wave, sheets of water drenching all of them. It's hard to see or hear anything other than the booming thunder above and the steady hum of energy being fired into the complicated design. Rain lashes at their bodies as the wind howls and screeches around them.
