Repair the plank roads and cross the Chencang secretly

Chusheng Market is located within the sphere of influence of the Jade Void Sword Sect, which itself resides on the Hidden Dragon Continent.

This continent is vast and boundless, home to countless factions ranging from righteous sects to demonic cultivators.

Over a year ago, demonic cultivators appeared in Chusheng Market, and Shen Yue happened to cross paths with them.

The young girl yawned, "The Sword Sect is surrounding and suppressing the Nether Sect, so Master went to set up arrays."

The Nether Sect—a behemoth on par with the Jade Void Sword Sect.

Fortunately, it was the Sword Sect surrounding the demonic sect, not the other way around.

"Why are you telling an outsider these things?"

A young man walked in from outside.

He was tall and slender, with a cold, stern expression.

The girl jolted awake from her drowsiness and hurriedly said, "Senior Brother, he was recommended by Senior Zhou to learn array formations."

The young man paused, his tone indifferent, "Since he is here to learn, just teach him the arrays honestly. Don't talk about useless things."

The girl let out an "oh" and didn't dare to retort.

The young man turned to Shen Yue, his tone flat, "The rules of the Mystic Array Pavilion: you have a three-month period. If you cannot master the basics by then, please leave."

He wasn't targeting Shen Yue specifically; many people had come to the Mystic Array Pavilion over the years, but those who truly mastered the basics could be counted on one's fingers.

After all, rogue cultivators were mostly fickle and impatient.

They wanted to learn this and that, but in the end, they learned nothing at all.

He was different; he had talent and could learn whatever he set his mind to.

"You teach him." The young man left behind this single sentence and walked away.

Xia Qingqing stuck out her tongue and lifted the door curtain, "Follow me."

Shen Yue followed her through the front hall and into the inner courtyard.

The courtyard was paved with blue bricks, and under the shade of a tree sat a stone table and stools, with jade tallies and a half-unrolled array diagram scattered across the surface.

Xia Qingqing sat by the stone table and patted the stool opposite her, signaling for Shen Yue to sit down.

She was small, her feet unable to touch the ground while sitting on the stool, yet she put on a serious face:

"The path of array formations prioritizes the foundation above all else."

Xia Qingqing picked up a jade tally, drew a circle on the stone table, and added a few crooked lines inside.

"This is the most basic 'Spirit Gathering Pattern.' The essence of an array is the flow of spiritual energy; it is just like water. You must know where it is high and where it is low, where it can be stored and where it must be released..."

She spoke as she drew, her voice as crisp as an oriole.

Shen Yue listened intently.

After the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, Xia Qingqing finished drawing and asked, "Do you understand?"

Shen Yue was silent for a moment, then said, "I... think I understand?"

Xia Qingqing tilted her head, "You don't."

Shen Yue: "..."

Those Spirit Gathering Patterns, spiritual energy meridians, array foundations, and array eyes—it all sounded like gibberish to him.

Xia Qingqing explained the content again, this time more slowly, using analogies.

She said spiritual energy was like ants moving house, and the array patterns were the paths the ants took; you couldn't let the ants collide, nor could you let them walk in circles...

Shen Yue felt like he understood a little, but also felt even more confused.

It was time to activate his Heaven-Shocking Wisdom.

The [Nine Heavens Profound Mirror] flashed with golden light.

[Array Dao (Basic): 11/100]

Zhou Feng stood under the veranda, a cold sneer hanging on his lips.

Why did Father send such a dull person here? Does he really think everyone is as gifted as I am?

Xia Qingqing was patient, picking up the jade tally again, "This time, follow my lead and draw..."

Two hours later, the sun began to set in the west.

Shen Yue put down the jade tally, cupped his hands, and said, "Thank you for your guidance today, Miss Xia. I shall take my leave and return tomorrow."

He had many matters to attend to and could not spend too much time on arrays.

Xia Qingqing was stunned, her small face serious, "Don't be late tomorrow."

Zhou Feng sat under the veranda, flipping through an array diagram, and scoffed inwardly.

This is what rogue cultivators are like—no talent and no patience.

They've barely started and he's already restless. He's probably like all the others; he won't show up tomorrow.

Unlike him, who could sit for an entire day.

The small courtyard by the lake was dim as twilight fell.

Shen Yue sat on the stone steps, running through array patterns in his mind.

"Array patterns... inscription patterns..."

"Spirit gathering... channeling... transformation..."

Although he had only just begun to touch upon the path of arrays, he vaguely sensed that the method of inscription-based artifact refining recorded in the Heavenly Cauldron True Fire Hundred Refinement Scripture was indeed far more exquisite than ordinary refining techniques.

Gazing at the lake under the night sky, a sense of anticipation stirred within Shen Yue.

In the days that followed, aside from cultivating and recycling scrap materials, Shen Yue spent two hours each day at the Mystic Array Pavilion studying arrays.

As the sun and moon rotated, more than half a month passed in a flash.

During this time, news of the Sword Sect encircling and suppressing the demonic Nether Sect spread through the marketplace, sparking endless discussion in the outside world.

Some said the Sword Sect was determined to pull the Nether Sect out by the roots this time, while others argued that the Nether Sect's methods were sinister and poisonous, and the Sword Sect might not necessarily come out on top.

There were even a group of bold individuals who, hearing that there were war merits to be earned and spirit stones to be gained at the front lines, banded together and rushed toward the battlefield.

On this day.

"How is General Shen's study of arrays coming along?" Zhou Chongwen asked.

"It's alright."

"Alright?" Zhou Chongwen stroked his beard and smiled faintly.

He knew very well how Shen Yue was doing at the Mystic Array Pavilion.

Spending only two hours a day there, he wasn't learning a damn thing about arrays.

Unlike his own son, who had both talent and patience.

However, Zhou Chongwen did not point it out.

Young people, after all, cared about their pride.

"Why not just practice mortal martial arts instead?" Changqin Wuming, however, was growing anxious.

In his view, Shen Yue learning artifact refining and then arrays was a complete waste of time and spirit stones.

Although mortal martial arts were of little use, at least they could provide a slight boost to his strength, and the consumption of spirit stones wouldn't be so high.

"I am practicing them," Shen Yue said with a smile.

Changqin Wuming and Zhou Chongwen exchanged a glance, finding nothing more to say.

The two changed the subject, chatting about the Sword Sect's campaign against the demonic sect.

"In my opinion, the Sword Sect is fighting this war too foolishly. If it were This Lonely One in command, I would build a wooden walkway in the open while secretly crossing the Chencang path, launching a sneak attack from the rear. I would certainly catch the Nether Sect off guard."

"The Emperor's words hit the nail on the head," Zhou Chongwen said, using his teacup to arrange his troops. "The demonic sect doesn't know how to fight either. Look at their previous defensive wave; it was clearly far too hasty."

"If I were in command, I would first secure the weak points at the Nether Water and the Underworld Path, then divide my forces to outflank them. Wouldn't that allow for a counterattack against the Sword Sect?"

Changqin Wuming's eyes lit up. "Exactly! The Emperor of Culture is truly well-versed in military strategy..."

The two went back and forth, growing more excited as they spoke, moving from the Sword Sect's tactical blunders to the demonic sect's strategic loopholes, and from the deployment of troops to the utilization of terrain.

At the height of their excitement, Changqin Wuming even stood up to gesture with his hands.

Shen Yue listened quietly, occasionally chiming in with a few words of agreement.

"That is why I say the demonic sect's greatest mistake lies right here," Zhou Chongwen said, pointing to the map drawn in tea on the table. "They shouldn't have placed the entire Mystic Yin Gate alone on the western front. Isn't that just handing it to them on a silver platter?"

"Once the Mystic Yin Gate was lost, the entire western defensive line collapsed."

"A bunch of demonic cultivators; they deserved to die," Changqin Wuming said disdainfully.

"It is a pity for the three thousand female cultivators of the Mystic Yin Gate; they all died miserable deaths."

"The Nether Sect has no humanity!" Shen Yue and Changqin Wuming exclaimed in unison.

The small courtyard fell silent for a moment, and the three shared a knowing smile.

"Enough talk, I must return to craft talismans," Zhou Chongwen said, summoning his green gourd.

"I also need to go back to collect waste qi," Changqin Wuming said, jumping onto the gourd. "Give me a lift."

Because of the war between the Sword Sect and the Nether Sect, the Chen family's artifact refining business had surged, and the two had been quite busy lately.

"Oh, right," Changqin Wuming suddenly looked at Shen Yue. "The Emperor of Culture says you bought Spirit Gathering Pills, preparing to break through to the fifth level of Qi Refining?"

"Yes," Shen Yue nodded.

"General Shen," Changqin Wuming said with a meaningful tone, "cultivation is like a long, flowing stream. You only broke through to the middle stage recently; there is no need to be so anxious to rush to the fifth level. Listen to This Lonely One: settle down and consolidate your foundation further."

After seeing off Zhou Chongwen and Changqin Wuming, Shen Yue returned to his room and turned his focus inward.

Deep within his soul, the Nine Heavens Profound Mirror hovered.

The third golden page flickered with light, dimming and brightening like a candle in the wind, or perhaps like the faint glimmer of dawn on the horizon before the sun rises.

"Just a little more until it unlocks."

Shen Yue raised his right hand, and his mana surged forth.

Three massive golden hands snatched up the scrap metal, causing it all to vanish in an instant.

He intended to have the Nine Heavens Profound Mirror consume enough scrap to unlock the third golden page in one go.

The radiance on the golden page spread rapidly.

Three days later, at dawn.

The Nine Heavens Profound Mirror erupted with golden light, the third golden page shining as bright as the scorching sun.

His Qi Refining and Breath Circulation mana rippled simultaneously.

"This is...!"