Chapter 247: Chapter 236: Do You Submit?
After successfully adding [Arrays] to the Magic Technique Panel and initiating the slow but steady automatic update process, the heavy feeling in Qi Yun’s heart, born from the sheer vastness of the Array Dao, dissipated for the most part.
"What comes next, on the other hand, is simple."
He muttered to himself, the corners of his mouth turned up in a calm smile of complete control, as he looked toward another corner of the cave.
That area wasn’t piled with scriptures. Instead, over a thousand Array Discs of various shapes and sizes were stacked there, layer upon dense layer.
Qi Yun slowly walked over to the pile of Array Discs, his gaze sweeping over them calmly.
Unlike an ordinary Array Cultivator, he didn’t pick up the Array Discs one by one to carefully study and analyze their structures. Instead, he simply waved his wide sleeve!
BOOM—!
Boundless, immense Daluo Magical Power surged forth, not targeting any single Array Disc.
Instead, it instantly formed an invisible, sky-blotting hand in the air that enveloped all thousand Array Discs!
With a flash of light, all the Array Discs were forcibly restrained, left hovering about a foot above his palm.
One grasp!
Instant Refinement!
In that instant!
BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ—!
The thousand-plus Array Discs trembled violently in unison, emitting a mournful hum as if unable to bear the strain.
The runes engraved on them flickered madly as streams of Flowing Light in various colors, each representing the characteristics of a different Array, were forcibly extracted. Like a hundred rivers flowing to the sea, they poured unendingly into Qi Yun’s palm.
Ultimately, they merged into the newly formed foundation of [Arrays] deep within his Sea of Consciousness.
At the same time, on the Magic Technique Panel in the corner of his vision...
...the line of text for the [Arrays] update, with its slowly crawling progress percentage, finally began to tick upward at a visible, albeit laborious, pace.
1%... 2%... 3%...
Compared to the rapid soaring of the progress bar when refining the source of other Magic Techniques in the past, the update process for [Arrays] was exceptionally sluggish.
The torrent of Daoist Intent absorbed from refining such a massive number of Array Discs at once would have left any other Array Cultivator dumbfounded, yet it had only just managed to get the progress bar "moving."
It felt like pushing a heavy mountain—a slow but steady advance.
This, however, was within Qi Yun’s expectations.
The Array Dao was, by its nature, all-encompassing. It involved the rules of Heaven and Earth, and its Daoist Intent ran incredibly deep—naturally, it couldn’t be compared to any single Magic Technique.
Time passed quietly in the cave.
One by one, the hovering Array Discs dimmed, ultimately losing all their spiritual nature and turning to dust.
When a full two-thirds of the Array Discs had been completely refined...
...the progress bar finally crawled to its end, slowly and as if with great reluctance—
[Arrays: Auto-updating (Current Progress: 100%)]
A familiar prompt appeared immediately after:
[Magic Technique Auto-Update Complete. This was a minor version update. The Magic Technique has been adjusted as follows:]
[Arrays 2.0: Master one Array every 300 days.]
Staring at the update log on the panel, Qi Yun’s eyes brightened.
Without further delay, he drew in the remaining Array Discs. His Magical Power swept over them, absorbing every last bit of the Array Daoist Intent within.
As the last wisp of Flowing Light entered his body, he slowly withdrew his surging Magical Power, and silence returned to the cave.
"As I thought. Now that I’ve grasped the foundation of [Arrays], dealing with specific Grand Arrays is much simpler."
He gently flicked non-existent dust from his sleeve, a sense of clarity filling his mind.
’Master one Array every 300 days.’
With that, he had fulfilled the most important prerequisite for overseeing the construction of the Northern Defense Array: a fundamental mastery of the Array Dao.
Now, it was time to put theory into practice.
...
Qi Yun didn’t rest for long after coming out of seclusion.
Through the close collaboration of the Four Sects’ upper echelon, the final Array Map for the Northern Defense Array was designed.
When the prototype of the Array Map—a condensation of the Four Sects’ wisdom and resources—was displayed before the crowd as an illusion of Spiritual Light...
...even the worldly-wise Foundation Establishment Masters felt their Hearts and Spirits tremble, overcome by an inexplicable and oppressive weight.
The core framework of this Grand Array came from a long-lost Ancient Array provided by the Yellow Springs Netherworld: the Nine Heavens Mountain-Suppressing Demon-Subduing Celestial Wall Map.
This Array was rumored to have been created by the ancient sages of the Human Race during their arduous struggle to open up new frontiers, designed to suppress Earth Veins and ward off external demons.
Though incomplete and missing many parts, it was still considered a top-tier Grand Array.
Later, the four Great Masters—Nan Dou, San Si, Jiu Li, and Reincarnation—personally took a hand in it.
They integrated the Cyan Sect’s Sword Qi Thunder Sound, Fengduo’s Vermilion Divine Fire, the Holy Sect’s All Things Return to Origin, and the Yellow Springs Netherworld’s Cycle of Life and Death into the framework of the Ancient Array, modifying and completing it to suit the current era.
As the illusion of Spiritual Light slowly unfurled within the vaulted cavern...
...the assembled Masters felt as if they weren’t looking at an Array Map.
Instead, they saw a materialized, slowly functioning ancient domain.
The Array Map was not composed of clear lines and runes.
Instead, its foundation was formed by crisscrossing streams of hazy, heavy, dark-gold light that seemed to be condensed from Earth Vein Dragon Qi.
Within the streams of light, one could vaguely see countless tiny mountain phantoms rising and falling. Each phantom carried a real, tangible weight, suppressing every inch of the Array Map’s space.
Specks of Starlight, like ancient inscriptions, were embedded at the Array Map’s key nodes. They resonated with the Earth Vein light streams, forming an invisible barrier that enveloped Heaven and Earth.
And just as the assembled Masters were marveling at the sheer grandeur of the Northern Defense Array...
...a Master from the Yellow Springs Netherworld contingent slowly stepped forward. He wore black array robes, and his face was as withered as a dessicated corpse.
It was Hai Yun Master, a renowned grandmaster of the Array Dao from within the Yellow Springs Netherworld.
"Senior Brother Nan Dou, the Holy Sect nominated Qi Master to oversee the Grand Array, and we had no objections," Hai Yun Master said, his voice as hoarse as grinding bones.
"However, the Northern Defense Array concerns the very lifeblood of our Northwest. Its foundation is an Ancient Array from my Yellow Springs Netherworld, and I trust you have all witnessed its complexity and weight."
"Qi Master may be a heaven-sent genius with astonishing cultivation, but the Array Dao is as vast as the Star Sea. It cannot be mastered through sheer power."
"I have been immersed in the Array Dao for over seven hundred years, and even I dare not claim to have fully grasped this Array’s mysteries."
His murky eyes turned to Qi Yun, filled with unconcealed doubt and the condescending arrogance of an elder.
"Qi Master, you are still young. I wonder, how long have you studied the Array Dao?"
"How can you prove you have the qualifications and ability to undertake such a monumental responsibility?"
"If the one in charge lacks a refined understanding of arrays, causing flaws in the Grand Array, then when the Four Imperial Heavens bear down on us, will we not all become villains for the ages!"
The moment he spoke, the atmosphere in the cavern grew tense.
Many gazes turned toward Qi Yun.
Hai Yun Master’s words were harsh, but they weren’t entirely unreasonable.
The Array Dao, unlike other disciplines, truly required time and experience.
Faced with this direct challenge, Qi Yun remained perfectly calm, even a faint, nonchalant smile playing on his lips.
He didn’t look at Hai Yun Master. Instead, his gaze fell upon the magnificent, weighty illusion of the Array Map in the center of the cavern.
"What Fellow Daoist Hai Yun says is not without reason."
Qi Yun spoke, his voice clear and resonant, instantly capturing everyone’s attention.
"The Array Dao does indeed require experience."
"However..."
His tone shifted as he turned to face Hai Yun Master.
"As it happens, I know a little."
The moment the words left his lips.
Qi Yun took a single step, planting himself before the vast, weighty illusion of the Nine Fortresses Suppressing Mountains and Subduing Demons Celestial Diagram.
In the next instant, his pupils trembled slightly.
His gaze swept across the map’s countless complex patterns—resembling the earth’s ley lines, miniature mountains, and stellar trajectories—at an inhuman speed.
Seeing Qi Yun actually rise to the challenge, Hai Yun Master’s lips curled into an undisguised sneer as he scoffed under his breath:
"All for show."
Though his voice was quiet, everyone present was a Foundation Establishment Master, and they all heard him loud and clear.
Many others also shook their heads in private, feeling that Qi Yun was being far too arrogant.
’How could anyone hope to comprehend such an Ancient Array by just staring at it for half a day?’
Time trickled by in the silence. One hour passed, then two...
As the better part of a day wore on, a faint stir of restlessness began to ripple through the cavern.
Expressions of impatience and skepticism started to appear on the faces of some of the Masters.
They figured Qi Yun had likely bitten off more than he could chew and was now just trying to save face.
And just as the atmosphere was becoming increasingly awkward...
...the young Daoist, who had been standing perfectly still, suddenly spoke.
His voice was clear and steady, yet it carried a strange rhythm that resonated mysteriously with the entire Array Map:
"Earth Veins form the network, bearing the world and its burdens; mountains are the bones, anchoring the eight poles; Starlight provides the locks, weaving the celestial wall. Pure yang rises to become the pivot of Heaven; turbid yin congeals into the stillness of the Mountain. Li Fire incinerates evil in the south, while Kan Water gathers essence in the north..."
His speech was unhurried, his words clear. Every syllable he uttered caused the illusory Array Map to resonate faintly.
The dark-gold Earth Vein streams, the rising and falling mountain phantoms, and the twinkling nodes of Starlight all began to glow with a greater clarity.
At first, most of the Foundation Establishment Masters were completely baffled by Qi Yun’s recitation, unable to make heads or tails of it.
But the four Great Masters, who had been resting with their eyes closed as if indifferent to the dispute, all snapped their eyes open the moment Qi Yun began to speak.
For the first time, a flicker of emotion crossed San Si Master’s placid face. Lady Jiu Li’s phoenix eyes flashed with brilliant light, and even Reincarnation Master sat up a little straighter.
As for Hai Yun Master, who stood not far from Qi Yun, his body jolted, and a look of utter astonishment crossed his face.
"The Array Pattern Essence?"
’He actually understood it?!’
This essence was hidden deep within the Array Map’s pathways. Without an extremely high level of understanding of the Array Dao, it was impossible to even perceive, let alone articulate so fluently and precisely!
He had been immersed in the Array Dao for centuries and had studied this Array’s framework for a long time, yet he still hadn’t fully grasped all the permutations of its essence.
’And this young man before me did it in less than a day... How is that possible?!’
Qi Yun paid no mind to the reactions around him, still immersed in his own rhythm. His voice was not loud, but it struck the Heart and Spirit of everyone who understood the Array Dao like a great temple bell:
"The Four Symbols revolve, the Eight Sects open and close. Suppression is not by force, but by solidifying the Dao; defense is not by rejection, but by acceptance. The Nine Heavens are linked, their qi unending; the Celestial Wall shines down, impervious to the Ten Thousand Laws..."
As he spoke, the vast illusion of the Array Map began to operate with even more fluidity and grace.
Its oppressive weight was now tinged with a new aura—one of flawless harmony and unending vitality.
When the last syllable fell, Qi Yun slowly turned. His calm gaze landed on Hai Yun Master, whose face was deathly pale, as if he had seen a ghost. Qi Yun asked softly:
"Convinced?"
You could have heard a pin drop in the cavern.
Hai Yun Master’s lips trembled. After a long moment, he dejectedly bowed his head, giving a deep, formal bow in Qi Yun’s direction. His voice was utterly parched as he spoke:
"Qi Master’s understanding of the Array Dao is profound."
"Hai Yun... is utterly and completely convinced!"
At that moment, no one dared to question him any longer.
The one to oversee the Northern Defense Array could be none other than Qi Yun.
...
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