Chapter 945: Chapter 945: Grand Array Complete, Zhao Yi Returns
After lunch.
Liu Zixuan, Gu Yu, Mo Chengfeng, and Tongtong walked out of the manor.
"The entire grand arrangement will take a long time, maybe it will be finished by night. During this time, Tongtong and I cannot be disturbed, so we will need your help."
Gu Yu nodded and said, "Don’t worry, Chengfeng has already gathered skilled members of the Thief Sect, and those villagers and Huang Youcai’s workers will stay inside the manor and won’t come out."
Liu Zixuan nodded, "You should take this time to contact other brothers. I figured that Huzi and Jiang Yunxuan are relatively nearby, they might bump into each other. If they return after three days, tell them not to come back!"
"Not come back?" Gu Yu was puzzled.
Liu Zixuan smiled, "You should check later. If we attack the Celestial Dao Alliance from the north heading south, find out who is the first family we encounter after bypassing the Shi Family, then tell Jiang Yunxuan and Huzi to set a foothold there first. Our grand array will be completed here shortly and we will head over immediately to join them!"
Gu Yu realized and gave Liu Zixuan a thumbs-up, "You’re not giving the Celestial Dao Alliance any chance to breathe!"
"In the grand scheme of things, we are still at a disadvantage, so we have to be unexpected. Additionally, before dealing with them, I have to accompany Tongtong to the Jade Maiden Sect to see if we can rescue her master."
Tongtong looked gratefully at Liu Zixuan upon hearing this.
After speaking, Gu Yu and Mo Chengfeng walked to the other side.
Liu Zixuan pointed to the items needed for setting up the grand array and said, "You can choose what you think will work best. This time we are setting up an offensive and defensive array, so there can’t be any mistakes. If you can’t handle it, put it aside, and I’ll help you once I’m done here."
Tongtong smiled, "Big brother, you really have no confidence in me, do you? Although I’m not as good as you in Sword Dao, I have never failed in setting up arrays!"
Liu Zixuan chuckled awkwardly, "I’m just being cautious since this grand array is quite special!"
"Okay, if I can’t manage, I’ll definitely call for your help. You better go now." Tongtong laughed.
Liu Zixuan playfully tapped Tongtong’s nose and went to the back mountain with the materials needed for the grand array.
Fifteen minutes later, Liu Zixuan reached a clearing. He looked around for a moment, satisfied, and nodded.
Then he summoned the Star Map and controlled it with his Inner Strength, throwing it toward the mountaintop.
After all, it was their first time setting up the Big Dipper Array, and despite memorizing it, caution was still necessary.
Preparations complete, Liu Zixuan began selecting locations to place the array components he needed.
After completing one set, three hours had passed. Liu Zixuan returned to the chosen clearing and sat cross-legged.
He formed hand seals, causing streams of pure Inner Strength to surge from between his fingers, heading straight for the array components.
Using a Feng Shui pattern that symbolized an ascending dragon as the array base, and the treasures they had collected as the array components, Liu Zixuan now had to sketch out the entire array.
An offensive and defensive array is exponentially more difficult than just one or the other.
Throughout the Martial Realm, there might not be many who could expertly set one up.
What made Liu Zixuan grateful was that there were two such experts in his camp! This was undoubtedly their biggest advantage against the Celestial Dao Alliance!
Time ticked by, and Liu Zixuan rose and fell cautiously several times, attentively arranging each component, fearing any mistake that might compromise the array’s effectiveness.
Fortunately, by seven in the evening, he was finally done.
Now utterly exhausted, he walked toward the front mountain with a cigarette in his mouth.
When he reached the front mountain, Tongtong was nearly finished with her work too. After waiting a while, Tongtong slowly withdrew her Inner Strength.
She staggered and nearly fell, prompting Liu Zixuan to quickly support her in his arms.
"Big brother, I’m fine. The grand array is finally complete!" Tongtong said with a happy smile.
Liu Zixuan smiled as he tucked a strand of Tongtong’s hair behind her ear, "Tongtong is amazing! You already have such profound array skills at a young age. When you reach my age, you might become even more impressive!"
"Big brother..." Tongtong’s eyes twinkled, and she showed an inexplicably tender expression as she softly murmured, "I kind of have an illusion!"
Liu Zixuan raised his brow, "What kind of illusion?"
"I feel like we’ve met before."
"Little girl, we met at Weiyang Highland back then, didn’t we?" Liu Zixuan laughed.
"No, it was even before that, but I can’t quite describe it. Now being in your arms feels oddly familiar!" Tongtong pouted.
Liu Zixuan thought to himself that this little girl might be developing feelings for him.
Indeed, she was quite adorable.
Realizing this, Liu Zixuan pinched himself, scolding internally that Tongtong was not much older than Doudou, turning twenty next year. If it really were so... that would be terrible.
He quickly carried Tongtong back toward the manor, laughing, "It must have been in a dream."
"I’m not so sure." To his surprise, Tongtong mumbled as she fell asleep.
Setting up the array was mentally exhausting, requiring Inner Strength to outline the array, a true challenge for the young girl.
Just as they entered, a familiar face appeared in front of Liu Zixuan.
"Brother Xuan." Zhao Yi smiled with a weathered face.
He stepped forward, and even before he spoke, Liu Zixuan felt a subtle illusion.
As if instead of Zhao Yi, a radiant golden saber had approached.
"It seems your trip to the Hidden Sect brought some growth!" Liu Zixuan smiled.
"A narrow escape, but I did gain some rewards." Zhao Yi smiled.
Seeing Zhao Yi’s weathered face, Liu Zixuan realized Zhao Yi’s journey to the Hidden Sect was likely akin to his own journey to the Profound Sword Sect, bringing both opportunities and hardships.
"Brother Xuan, why are you holding her?" Doudou came over and asked.
"She overworked herself and fell asleep." Liu Zixuan explained with a smile.
"I’m tired too, won’t you hold me as well?" Doudou asked, blushing.
Something about this didn’t seem right, like Doudou was feeling jealous.
Liu Zixuan raised an eyebrow, wondering what was going on today, as both young girls seemed different from usual!
He handed Tongtong over to Bai Jingjing and the others, and pinched Doudou’s cheek, "You’re already so grown up, it wouldn’t look good if I held you. Your future boyfriend might kill me!"
"Hmph, you’re biased!" Doudou pouted unhappily at Liu Zixuan, then turned and ran outside.
"Your luck with women is still going strong. It used to be big beauties, now it’s little beauties." Zhao Yi joked teasingly.
