Chapter 246: Chapter 235: Array
The night sky over Ten Thousand Caves Mountain was different from usual, due to the convergence of Cultivators from the Four Sects.
Beams of Escape Light in every color occasionally streaked overhead like shooting stars, illuminating the strange landscape below—a vista of competing peaks and a labyrinth of countless caves.
The peace talks held during the day, which would determine the future of the Northwest, had reached a temporary conclusion.
But the specific details still required time to negotiate, so the forces of the Four Sects took the opportunity to make camp in this ancient, ruined land.
Fortunately, Ten Thousand Caves Mountain had countless deep, vast caves. Never mind a few thousand Cultivators; the area could easily accommodate tens of thousands. Everyone found a suitable cave dwelling to settle in, and so they did not disturb one another.
Qi Yun was arranged to stay in a rather quiet and secluded cave. The interior was spacious, its stone walls smooth; it had clearly been meticulously refurbished by a previous occupant.
He sat cross-legged on the stone couch, meditating on the insights gained from the day’s battle.
He also silently felt the faint resonance between the newly acquired Purity and Turbidity and the Dao Foundation within him.
Suddenly, a flicker of intuition made him open his eyes. A faint light flashed within the cave, and Nan Dou Master’s figure appeared silently before him.
"Master," Qi Yun said, rising to offer a formal greeting.
He was not particularly surprised by Nan Dou Master’s late-night visit and simply waited for him to speak.
Nan Dou Master nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over Qi Yun as he slowly began to speak.
"You performed excellently today. Not only did you bring glory to our Holy Sect, but you also gave those old friends of mine a true glimpse of what the presence of a ’Venerable’ looks like."
"The True Monarch is very pleased. He instructed me to inform you that he has another reward for you when we return to the Sect."
"You’re too kind, Master. I was only doing my best," Qi Yun replied.
’If the True Monarch hadn’t sent that voice transmission during the day, he really wouldn’t have wanted to attract so much attention.’
’Still, Desolate Halberd True Monarch was certainly generous.’
’To give away a wondrous object like Purity and Turbidity just like that.’
Nan Dou Master paced to one side of the cave, gazing at the mottled, naturally formed patterns on the wall that resembled a Star Map. After a moment of silence, he finally got to the point.
"The general direction of the peace talks between the Four Sects has been set, but negotiating the details won’t happen overnight."
"In the time to come, all the major powers will be making their moves regarding the matter of the ’Four Imperial Heavens’."
He turned, his gaze solemn as he looked at Qi Yun.
"The Sect has a critical mission, and after much thought, it seems you are the most suitable person to oversee it."
Qi Yun’s expression shifted as he assumed an attentive posture.
’Considering Nan Dou Master’s knack for planning and the current situation, he would likely be asked to join the Four Sects United Mission and head south to investigate the truth of the "Four Imperial Heavens."’
However, what Nan Dou Master said next took him by surprise.
"I want you to stay behind and oversee the construction of the ’Northern Defense Array’." Nan Dou Master’s voice was not loud, but every word was distinct.
"The Northern Defense Array?" Qi Yun frowned slightly. "But I have little expertise in the Array Dao."
"That’s not an issue," Nan Dou Master explained. "With your innate talent, it’s not too late to start learning from the beginning."
"This is one of the core tasks decided upon during these peace talks."
"We will pool the strength of the Four Sects to build a massive defensive Grand Array, one that spans from east to west and covers the entire Northwest region."
"It will secure the northern gateway for our Northwest Cultivation Realm!"
He paused, and seeing the thoughtful look flash in Qi Yun’s eyes, he continued.
"This array is immense in scale, involving the Array Dao, Earth Veins, the circulation of the Spiritual Mechanism, and even the allocation of resources among the Four Sects. It’s incredibly intricate."
"The person presiding over this must have a Cultivation level sufficient to command respect, a meticulous mind capable of coordinating the entire endeavor, and more importantly..."
"...they must be someone that the people of all Four Sects can, at least outwardly, be convinced by."
"Your battle today has established your prestige."
"For you to step forward to coordinate the resources of the Four Sects and supervise the construction of the Grand Array—nothing could be more fitting." Nan Dou Master’s words revealed his far-reaching considerations.
"This is not me sidelining you. I am entrusting the Keystones that concern the very lifeblood of the Northwest into your hands."
"If this array is completed, its merits will be celebrated for generations. It is also an excellent opportunity for you to establish your authority before the Four Sects and build up your own influence."
Qi Yun was silent. He understood the deeper meaning behind Nan Dou Master’s words.
’Going south to investigate was important, to be sure, but the risks were unpredictable, and it was more of an enforcer’s role.’
’Overseeing the construction of the "Northern Defense Array," however, only seemed like staying behind in the relative safety of the rear.’
’In reality, he would be at the center of a vortex of the Four Sects’ intersecting interests, requiring immense political skill and wisdom.’
’If he pulled it off, he would gain not just merit, but real, tangible influence and a say in the future of the Northwest.’
’It was a heavy burden of trust, but also an immense challenge.’
...
After accepting the weighty responsibility of overseeing the construction of the "Northern Defense Array," Qi Yun did not rush to act.
Instead, he first settled his mind, sequestering himself in the quiet cave to begin his intensive cultivation of the Array Dao.
Within the cave, the once-empty stone chamber was now occupied by mountain-like piles of Jade Scrolls, Silk Books, Bone Fragments, and even Beast Hide Scrolls that emanated an ancient aura.
These were all classical texts on arrays, which Nan Dou Master, using his authority as Acting Sect Leader, had either exchanged for or borrowed from the other Three Sects via the Holy Sect’s secret repository and other clandestine channels.
Among them were numerous long-lost, one-of-a-kind texts, and even some sects’ most closely guarded secrets.
Now, all of them were being delivered to Qi Yun in a continuous stream, as if they were mere common scrolls.
A faint Spiritual Light shone down from the Bright Pearls embedded in the stone walls, illuminating Qi Yun’s focused profile.
He sat cross-legged amidst the mountains of books, his eyes gleaming with a clear brilliance as he flew through the runes on each Jade Scroll, digesting the obscure diagrams and annotations on the Silk Books.
His Divine Sense extended like invisible tentacles, probing several different texts at once as a massive flood of information poured into his Sea of Consciousness.
However, if a Cultivator proficient in arrays were present, they would have been astonished to discover something.
Among this mountain of texts, there was not a single complete and concrete diagram for an Array Formation.
All of the content centered on "array principles."
From the most basic principles—the creation and destruction cycles of Yin Yang and the Five Elements, the positions of the eight trigrams and nine palaces—to the profound mysteries of channeling stars, connecting Earth Veins, and the flow of the Spiritual Mechanism, and even forbidden principles involving spatial folding and causal entanglement... The collection was all-encompassing, yet there was not a single pre-designed "array" to be found.
’The Dao of Arrays... it’s as profound as the ocean and as complex as the stars,’ Qi Yun mused, his eyes closing for a moment.
’An ordinary Array Cultivator’s path is to first learn the basic principles, then start by copying and setting up the simplest arrays, like the "Spirit Gathering Array" or the "Mist Array," practicing until they are proficient.’
’They then gradually learn more complex and powerful arrays, confirming and deepening their understanding of array principles through practical application.’
’It’s a step-by-step process, moving from technique to the Dao.’
’But I am different.’
A strange light glinted in Qi Yun’s eyes.
’I have the Magic Technique Panel. To learn any single, specific array would be to miss the forest for the trees; it would limit my own potential.’
’What I need is not to imitate the ’fish’ left behind by my predecessors, but to master the ’net’ that can catch them. I need the ’Dao’ that can give birth to infinite ’fish’!’
’As long as I constantly update these ’principles’ of arrays, I can grasp the entire branch of Arrays at its very root, just as I did with Talisman Skill!’
’Then, I will be able to master all manner of Grand Arrays as I please.’
With his mind made up, Qi Yun no longer hesitated, completely immersing himself in the frenzied absorption and digestion of the vast principles of arrays.
Inside the cave, time seemed to lose all meaning.
At times, Qi Yun would frown in deep thought, his fingertips unconsciously sketching in the air, causing the surrounding Spiritual Mechanism to stir and manifest strange motes of light and force fields.
At other times, he would experience a sudden breakthrough, a sharp light bursting from his eyes. The several Jade Scrolls floating before him, each one articulating a different array principle, would hum in unison. The runes upon them seemed to come alive, interweaving and colliding to generate a completely new understanding.
Whenever he grasped an essential point, he would, as if guided by an unseen hand, channel the power of his Daluo Heaven and cast the digested fragments of array principles into it.
That inner world, which contained the prototypes of the Ten Thousand Laws, would then begin to spontaneously deduce and combine them, forming countless representations of different array principles and Daoist Intents.
The study and improvement of arrays, in turn, was actually catalyzing the growth of his Daluo Heaven!
Qi Yun’s learning method at this point had completely abandoned any semblance of a gradual, step-by-step process.
Instead, with an almost predatory vigor, he simultaneously assaulted the core barriers of the Array Dao from every angle and on every level.
The consumption rate of his Divine Sense was astonishing. If not for his profound foundation and the support of his Daluo Heaven, his mind and spirit would have long since been exhausted.
The mountain-like piles of texts were "devoured" and digested at a rate visible to the naked eye, while new tomes were continually delivered to replace them.
Through this ceaseless process of absorption and deduction, Qi Yun’s understanding of the Array Dao deepened at an incredible pace.
He wasn’t learning how to perform Array Formation; he was attempting... to understand and master the concept of "Arrays" itself.
Outside the cave, Ten Thousand Caves Mountain remained bustling as the Cultivators of the Four Sects continued to vie for their own interests.
Inside the cave, Qi Yun’s understanding of arrays was accumulating at a breakneck, snowballing pace.
...
「An unknown amount of time passed.」
"The Ten Thousand Laws return to a single origin, and the principles of arrays are no different... Yin and Yang form the foundation, the Five Elements create the framework, the Spiritual Mechanism is the lifeblood... All transformations originate from this, and to this they all return..."
The low murmur echoed through the silent cave, carrying with it an epiphany that pierced to the very essence of the matter.
Deep within Qi Yun’s Sea of Consciousness, the Daluo Heaven that had been silently performing its deductions suddenly emitted a magnificent roar that only he could hear!
Qi Yun’s tightly shut eyes snapped open, a clear brilliance erupting within them. The dark beard that had grown to his chest stirred despite the lack of wind, and a smile—one of both relief and boundless joy—slowly spread across his face.
"Success!"
With a single thought, the Magic Technique Panel, which he hadn’t looked at for a long time, naturally appeared before him.
It was still the same simple interface, but beneath the original entries, a new line of text was gradually solidifying from an illusory state, emitting a luster entirely different from before:
[Arrays: Automatically Updating (Current Progress: 1%)]
Looking at this line of text, Qi Yun let out a long sigh of relief.
Compared to the natural ease with which he had mastered ’Talisman Skill,’ the entry and foundation-laying for ’Arrays’ had been truly, immeasurably more difficult and obscure...
The scope of arrays was far too broad, its connection with Heaven and Earth and the myriad things too profound; it was hardly comparable to the relatively self-contained Dao of Talismans.
If he hadn’t had Daluo Heaven to augment his comprehension and the ability to conceptualize and deduce things from scratch, he might have spent decades and still not have been able to truly touch upon its core.
But, fortunately... he had ultimately succeeded!
He slowly rose to his feet, and the bones throughout his body let out a series of crisp cracks. The accumulated dust fell from him with a soft rustle.
The first step had, at last, been firmly taken.
...
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