Chapter 47: Chapter 45: Qiu Yuanqing is Unbeatable
Hearing Master Lei’s predatory words, Xia Shouzheng looked a bit flustered and continued with a wry smile, "We do have a verbal agreement, but who can truly predict the future? Besides, the Inheritance of our Sect’s Divination Art has long been lost. As for the specific arrangements, let’s just take it one step at a time."
Lei Jalin’s charming eyes blinked as she smiled. "I have a proposal. In the future, if this young man can reach Foundation Establishment, let him also serve as the Vice Hall Master of our Array Dao Hall. What do you think?"
Xia Shouzheng was visibly startled, a suspicious look on his face. After a moment of thought, he looked up. "Master Lei, could it be that Nephew Qiu already has victory secured today?"
"He’s very clever," Lei Jalin said, her tone filled with admiration. "If there were no restrictions and they were both allowed to use unlimited materials to set up their strongest Arrays, he would undoubtedly lose. Pei Guangming is truly extraordinary; his attainments in the Array Dao are a cut above."
"Then does Yuanqing still have a chance?" Xia Shouzheng asked, a little nervous.
Lei Jalin’s voice transmission entered his ears directly. "Master Xia, have you forgotten that I will also be part of the scoring later?"
First, it dawned on Xia Shouzheng, but then he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
"Fine, I’ll agree on his behalf. If he can reach Foundation Establishment in the future, he will also serve as Vice Hall Master of the Array Dao Hall."
When Pei Guangming finished setting up his second Array, he looked up into the distance and saw that Du Youqian had already finished all three of his.
A faint worry arose in his heart.
The time spent on Array Formation would also be taken into consideration as part of the scoring criteria.
Falling this far behind was already a considerable disadvantage.
However, Pei Guangming had another thought.
’This "Nephew Qiu" is so young, yet his skills in Alchemy and Artifact Refining are already quite impressive. Even if he did awaken some wisdom from a past life, he must have spent a great deal of time practicing and consolidating it. How could he possibly have had much time left to study the Array Dao! So, I reckon this junior has only scratched the surface of the Array Dao. He must have suggested a contest of arrays out of desperation. See? It’s precisely because he lacks real skill that "Nephew Qiu" proposed using mortal-grade materials to set up Low Level Arrays. He probably hasn’t mastered any high-level Arrays either!’
At this thought, Pei Guangming’s composure returned.
’No rush, I’ll take my time.’
Although he was a Tier Two Array Master, he had never deliberately considered or studied how to use simple materials to set up the lowest-level Arrays.
For him, this was also a bit difficult.
’But it doesn’t matter. Victory is still mine for the taking.’
Pei Guangming was brimming with confidence.
Seeing Pei Guangming’s calm and composed appearance, the spectating disciples, who had been worried when "Qiu Yuanqing" finished his Array Formation early, finally breathed a sigh of relief. They shared a similar guess with Pei Guangming—Qiu Yuanqing must be lacking in the Array Dao and had just haphazardly thrown together a few Arrays in a final, desperate struggle. They believed that as long as Ancestor Pei played it safe and steady, ensuring the quality of his Arrays, he would surely crush that arrogant Qiu Yuanqing, even if it took a little longer!
Lei Jalin smiled with great interest and sent a voice transmission to Xia Shouzheng: "It seems I won’t need to intervene after all. Nephew Qiu will win smoothly."
Xia Shouzheng’s spirits lifted, but when he remembered the condition he had just been forced to accept, his smile turned bitter.
’A person’s energy is finite.’
’Even if that boy Qiu Yuanqing is a genius, if he’s holding three positions at once, how will he ever revitalize the Treasure Hall?’
At the same time, Xia Shouzheng also became aware of a weakness in his own state of mind.
But knowing was one thing; changing it was another matter entirely.
As Xia Shouzheng fretted over gains and losses, Pei Guangming also completed his Array Formation.
Xia Shouzheng’s spirits lifted, and he looked at Lei Jalin with an eager gaze.
Lei Jalin gave a slight nod, reassuring him, and then took a step forward.
As a woman, she lacked the delicate bearing typical of a Kun Cultivator.
Without any exaggerated gestures, her movements were simply fluid and her bearing was dashing. In just a few steps, she crossed a distance of a hundred zhang and appeared before Pei Guangming.
The other two judges also arrived before the Arrays in their own ways.
Pei Guangming performed a salute, then stood aside, his expression indifferent. He didn’t even spare Du Youqian a glance, giving off an air of unshakable confidence.
’No matter what my opponent does, I remain unmoved.’
The three judges first entered the Attack-Type Array. One carefully observed the Array’s structure, another acted to defend against its attacks, and the third checked whether Pei Guangming had broken any rules during the Array Formation or used any forbidden materials.
Their division of labor was clear. After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, they each announced their scores.
Lei Jalin said, "This is a Tier One Lower Grade Array, the Wind-Fire Array. The structure is complete and the design is exquisite. B."
"C+."
"B."
Hearing the scores, Pei Guangming’s expression didn’t change.
He was neither smug nor dejected; from his expression, it was impossible to tell if he was satisfied with the score.
Then, the three judges moved to the Attack-Type Array set up by Du Youqian and began their inspection and scoring.
Lei Jalin was the first to speak again. "A Tier One Lower Grade Array, the Earth-Shaking Array. It’s a notch higher in difficulty than the Wind-Fire Array. The structure is perfectly complete and the design is ingenious. Very good. A!"
Pei Guangming’s eyelid twitched. He looked up and gave Du Youqian a deep look before withdrawing his gaze, continuing to wait calmly for the subsequent scores.
"B."
"B."
After the first round of scoring for the Attack-Type Arrays, Du Youqian was two sub-grades higher than Pei Guangming.
He smiled faintly, not the least bit surprised.
’In my past life, I followed Elder Tao in my Cultivation. The old Daoist was genuinely good to me, but he was also genuinely poor. He was so frugal he’d split a single Spirit Stone in two if he could. That’s why whether I was learning Alchemy, Artifact Refining, or Array Formation, I always focused on using cheaper, more common materials to achieve normal, or even slightly weaker, functions. After several decades, I had accumulated a wealth of experience in this area. And it’s precisely because I put so much effort into this while learning that in this life, even as a Mortal, I could craft Grade-Entering Elixirs from ordinary herbs and forge Divine Soldiers from common materials. The rules of this challenge are also extremely favorable to me. No matter how much of a genius that Martial Uncle Pei is, he wouldn’t be like me—forced by his empty pockets to constantly think about how to cut expenses, reduce costs, and use lower-level materials to achieve full Array functionality.’
Seeing Pei Guangming off to a bad start, a small commotion broke out among his large group of temporary fans.
The confidence of many was shaken.
’This Qiu Yuanqing... could he really be unbeatable? Even a third-generation disciple can’t do anything to him? What are we going to do now? If Qiu Yuanqing really secures the position of True Inheritor, will those of us who once opposed him face his retaliation?’
Lei Jalin and the other judges, however, paid no mind to what the ordinary disciples were thinking.
They entered the Defense-Type and Utility-Type Arrays in turn, scoring and evaluating meticulously.
"Pei Guangming! C+!"
"C+!"
"B!"
"Qiu Yuanqing! B+!"
"A!"
"B!"
As the scores were announced one by one, Du Youqian’s face remained as calm as still water.
Pei Guangming also showed no strong reaction, but a self-deprecating smile appeared in his eyes.
