The Bewildering Array

Holding the realistic Identity Tablet and whispering "Law Enforcement," Chen Jin instantly donned the Qin Soldier Black Armor. With a quick rub of his hands, his features shifted into a nondescript, common face, and he stepped into the heavily guarded perimeter of Langya Mountain.

One moment he was a weary, patrolling foot soldier; the next, a messenger tasked with delivering orders; then, a low-level corporal inspecting the sentry posts... his identity and appearance shifted incessantly.

The Qin Army's rigorous inspection system, aided by his ever-changing identities and the intelligence advantage provided by Ren Tu, was rendered effectively useless, allowing him to move through this den of tigers and wolves as if it were an empty courtyard.

Utilizing these various identities, he used reasonable excuses to traverse nearly every corner of Langya Mountain, from the craggy cliffs to the hidden caves.

However, he had no leads on the "Qi of the Four Seasons," which gathered the true essence of spring growth, summer flourishing, autumn harvest, and winter storage.

During this time, he had investigated the Shrine of the Four Seasons Deity.

At that moment, the shrine was bustling with activity; alchemists moved about carrying bronze ritual vessels, and laborers stacked bundles of dried herbs before the steps, the air thick with the mixed scent of pine smoke and vegetation.

Chen Jin blended in with the laborers, inspecting the brackets and offering tables of the shrine, even stealthily touching the jade cong used for sacrifices, but he felt only the ordinary scent of incense, with no trace of the "Four Seasons Rotation."

Seeing the sun slanting westward and having investigated almost every possible area, Chen Jin focused his attention on a bottomless cliff on the side of the mountain, shrouded in thick fog.

Chen Jin twisted his neck, loosened his joints, and transformed.

A thin membrane of flesh grew between his arms and thighs; then, spreading his limbs into a "ta" shape, he leaped into the thick fog like a flying squirrel.

The mist was damp and bone-chilling, and visibility was extremely low. He could vaguely hear the sound of a stream in the valley, but could see nothing of the scenery.

He could only grope and glide based on his senses.

He continued to descend, and descend—he did not know how long he had been falling. The scenery before Chen Jin's eyes remained nothing but thick fog, and he was beginning to lose his sense of time and space.

Was Langya Mountain really this tall?

Disturbing perception, distorting the sense of space...

"It's a formation."

He could not continue to fall passively!

Chen Jin abruptly adjusted his posture in mid-air, forcibly steadying his body.

Chen Jin took a deep breath, a faint hum vibrating in his throat, and an invisible vortex formed around him.

[Swallow Sun and Moon]

First, the surrounding mist was tugged, streaming into his mouth and nose in wisps;

Then, the spiritual energy in the soil beneath his feet, and even the morning dew condensed on the distant pine trees, turned into fine, glowing specks and drifted toward him.

No matter how exquisite a formation in this world might be, its foundation ultimately relied on spiritual energy to connect the mountains and rivers.

And Chen Jin intended to swallow all the spiritual energy in this place.

Like a giant whale drinking water, swallowing the heavens and the earth!

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth mixed into the white mist, converging into streams of milky-white air that surged into Chen Jin's wide-open mouth like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.

Chen Jin's body became the center of the storm.

He felt massive, chaotic energy pouring into his limbs and bones, only to be rapidly refined and purified by [Swallow Sun and Moon], injecting into his meridians, bones, and muscles.

BOOM!

As if an invisible glass dome had been completely shattered, the surrounding scene peeled away and dissipated like a broken mirror.

Suddenly, everything cleared!

All the fog vanished without a trace, and the weightless sensation of falling came to an abrupt end.

Chen Jin landed lightly on solid ground.

Stepping into the valley entrance where the mist had dispersed, Chen Jin sensed the difference.

The soil beneath his feet suddenly changed from dry to moist. Looking down, he saw several green grass shoots poking out from the cracks in the stones, carrying the tenderness of spring;

Walking a few more steps, a warmth suddenly mingled with the wind, and the shrubs by the path were adorned with small red fruits—a sight only seen in autumn.

His heart stirred, and he quickened his pace into the valley.

In less than half an incense stick's time, the surrounding scenery truly shifted and transformed with the flow of light: when the sun was at its zenith, the path was filled with scorching summer flowers, and the sound of cicadas filled his ears;

When the sunset sank, fallen leaves rustled down, and the air floated with the crispness of autumn;

As the moon climbed over the mountaintop, his fingertips suddenly touched a hint of chill, and looking up, he saw a thin layer of white frost condensed on the branches—the clear cold of winter.

Chen Jin stopped, gazing at the four seasons of scenery that rotated continuously with the rising and setting of the sun and moon, and finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Finally found it."

On the vast, boundless sea, a huge full moon hung low, spilling its cold radiance onto the undulating, ink-silk waves.

In this scroll of intertwined darkness and moonlight, a massive warship was silently cutting through the waves. The two characters "Mirage" engraved on the prow glowed faintly under the moon.

In the waters not far from the ship, a struggling figure was desperately trying to approach the giant vessel.

It was a Shark Person, but at this moment, the graceful posture of the legendary Quan Ke was entirely gone.

Her body was covered in deep, bone-revealing wounds, her scales had peeled off in large patches, and most horrifying of all was a massive gash on her abdomen, as well as flesh gouged from her cheek by a sharp blade, revealing the stark white cheekbone beneath. It was vaguely recognizable as the Shark Person Princess, Cen Qing.

The heavy scent of blood attracted several sharks that had caught the trail; dark shadows circled behind her, their sharp teeth appearing and disappearing in the water.

At this moment, a child carved from jade stood by the railing of the Mirage.

He gazed out at the sea, noticing the wretched figure below.

His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. He did not call out, merely forming a hand seal with his slender fingers.

In an instant, the seawater beneath Cen Qing seemed to come alive, surging upward with irresistible force to form a crystalline lotus of foam. It lifted her battered body, carried her lightly over the ship's railing, and deposited her onto the deck.

The child lowered his gaze to inspect the barely recognizable Cen Qing, his voice cold. "How did you end up in such a state? Did something go wrong with the mission?"

Upon meeting the child's eyes, Cen Qing's body began to tremble uncontrollably.

She endured the searing pain, struggling to crawl across the deck in a posture of utter humility, her voice hoarse and frantic as she defended herself. "I dare not! Nothing went wrong! I have... I have fulfilled the mission. The Mohist School's mechanical strongholds within Langya City have all been eradicated as planned.

As for the Qin soldiers in the city, I have used the rain-summoning technique to drench them in 'Spirit Rain,' and the 'Mirage Heart Suggestion' has been planted in every one of them, awaiting only the command."

She gasped for breath, adding as if presenting a treasure, "Furthermore... according to intelligence from an inside source in Xianyang Palace, General Meng Tian has indeed received the imperial decree to strike north against the Xiongnu. The empire's elite northern frontier forces have all been deployed..."

The child listened quietly, the trace of displeasure on his face gradually fading.

He nodded slightly. "Mm, acceptable work. The Master is currently in the quiet room, meditating on the secrets of immortality; do not disturb him. Follow me and take some pills to treat your wounds."

"Th-thank you for your grace, Immortal Child!" Feeling as though she had been granted a reprieve, Cen Qing endured the piercing agony, crawling humbly behind the small figure until they vanished into the deep shadows of the Mirage's massive hull.