Hmph, This Trifling Little Array

Hmph, This Trifling Little Array

"Shi Shi!

Senior Sister!

My dear wife!

Sneaking in like this really isn't proper. Why don't we pay them a direct visit and ask plainly whatever needs asking?"

Within the forests of Lesser Qiong Peak, two shadows suddenly stopped, revealing one tall and one short figure. The two were still maintaining techniques that evaded the probing of immortal consciousness.

Jiu Wu stood in front of his Dao companion, who was a head taller than him, and earnestly persuaded her. "Xiao Jiu has grown up. We can't keep her tied to our side forever.

No matter what, she's already an immortal of nine hundred sixty-two years, six months, and fifteen days. She truly isn't a child anymore!"

Jiu Shi, stopped by her Dao companion, rolled her eyes slightly and snorted. "What could we learn from a direct visit?

For this sort of thing, we naturally have to sneak over to see the truth!

Have you forgotten how we discovered Xiao Liu and Xiao Qi's affair? If we hadn't caught them in bed, they would definitely still be denying it to this day!

Hide quickly. Don't expose our tracks!"

With a stomp of her foot, Jiu Shi grabbed Jiu Wu by the collar and lifted him straight up.

Their figures turned into two patches of shadow once more and vanished amid the forest shade.

Jiu Wu could only smile bitterly. Though he prided himself on being resourceful and quick-witted, before the woman he loved, he had not a single trick to use.

However, before they had even crept a hundred zhang this time, they had no choice but to stop again.

The two appeared atop the crown of a great tree and carefully surveyed the area ahead.

"This array has been arranged rather cleverly," Jiu Wu praised. "Its boundaries have nearly melded completely with the surrounding environment. Only the corners were handled a little too roughly, exposing a trace of spiritual power fluctuations."

"Hm?"

Jiu Shi tilted her head, and the two braids formed from strands of hair before her forehead swayed gently.

After examining it for a few moments, she said dismissively, "A mere Bewildering Spirit Array—how could it possibly trouble the two of us?

Let's go. Enter the array.

What's with that expression? Are you unwilling? Do you still want to sleep in bed tonight?"

Hearing such a threat, Jiu Wu swiftly surrendered. "I do, I do. Of course I do. It's rare for you to emerge from seclusion even once, Shi Shi...

Fine!

I'll go first. If anything happens, I'll take responsibility."

Jiu Wu sighed. Instantly cowed by Jiu Shi's 'tyrannical might,' he was the first to leap down from the tree. With his hands behind his back, he walked ahead, absentmindedly scanning his surroundings.

What occupied his mind now was not whether he could break the array. In truth, he had not taken Lesser Qiong Peak's arrays seriously at all. After all, Lesser Qiong Peak did not even have an immortal—how formidable could its arrays be?

What he was thinking about was what to do if they truly caught Xiao Jiu and Junior Brother Qi Yuan...

The scene would surely be unbearably awkward.

Especially since...

Junior Brother Qi Yuan most likely won't survive the heavenly tribulation. Could it be that my little junior sister has only just found her Dao companion, only to become a widow at once?

What should be done?

"Walk faster," Jiu Shi urged from behind. "Dawdling like this, by the time we get there, it'll all be too late!"

"Don't rush. I've found the array's exit."

Jiu Wu quickly calculated the Life Gate of this array and led Jiu Shi out of the first illusion array.

But then Jiu Wu halted, raised his left hand, and made a signal to stop.

"Huh? Another Chain Array?"

Jiu Wu immediately laughed, stroking his chin in admiration. "Though the arrays before and after are both rather simple illusion arrays, being able to nest them into a Chain Array means the person who set this array has fairly good attainments in arrays."

"You talk too much!"

Jiu Shi snorted and took two quick steps to get ahead of her junior brother.

Her immortal consciousness spread out, and she rapidly located the exit of this array. Coolly, she said, "Follow me."

Jiu Wu smiled helplessly and followed behind his Dao companion and senior sister, still pondering how he should clean up the situation if they truly stumbled upon something later...

Meanwhile, in the Alchemy Room over ten li away.

Li Changshou, who was sorting through the poisonous herbs and Spiritual Medicine before him, frowned slightly. Without giving it away, he glanced at Jiu Jiu, who was seated in meditation regulating her breath, and after some thought, said nothing.

The one beside Martial Uncle Jiu Wu should also be one of the Nine Jiu Immortals.

Perfect. These two could help him test the actual effects of the outer illusion arrays.

"Martial Uncle Jiu?"

"I'm here. Are we starting?"

"Not yet. We'll wait a while longer," Li Changshou said with a smile. "If, after Martial Uncle returns to Sky-Breaking Peak, someone asks what you have been doing here all this time, just tell them truthfully.

However, it would be best if you kept the specific arrangement and number of arrays here confidential for your disciple."

"Don't worry! I understand the principles!"

Jiu Jiu vigorously patted her chest.

"This Martial Uncle isn't the sort to take benefits and not do the work. For the sake of all that Charm of the Beauty you just gave me, I guarantee I'll keep silent!"

Li Changshou replied with a smile and continued adjusting the proportions of the various herbs.

The Melting Immortal Pill was finally about to be refined.

Still, he had to wait until the two True Immortals outside had left.

In the forest.

Half an hour after the two True Immortals of the Jiu generation entered the array.

"You break the array," Jiu Shi muttered. "I specialize in artifact refinement. In the Dao of arrays, I'll always fall short of you and Third Senior Brother."

Jiu Wu smiled calmly and walked ahead of his beloved with his hands behind his back. Masculine spirit surged forth from his not-so-tall frame!

"Stay close to me.

This array is called the Spirit Exceeding Six Revolutions Array. It is actually a fairly basic illusion array, only the Life Gate is set rather strangely. The Life Gate is above us."

Before he had even finished speaking, Jiu Wu had already found the array's exit. He leaped up together with Jiu Shi and broke into the next array.

The surroundings immediately turned upside down...

Another half hour later.

"Strange. It seems we've gone in a circle and returned to where we started." Jiu Wu's expression gradually turned grave as he calculated on his fingers. "The twenty-four arrays we passed through are interconnected, but these twenty-four chain arrays also form a hidden greater array.

Following the guidance of the Life Gates led us directly back to our starting point.

This method of arranging arrays is somewhat opportunistic and cannot be called brilliant, but it is quite interesting. Mm, very interesting."

Jiu Shi supported her forehead with one hand and complained, "The method to break it! How long has it been already?

Judging by the time you took each round, it's been three or four rounds already!"

"Ahem." Jiu Wu cleared his throat. "Very well. This poor Daoist must get serious now. Follow me!"

With that, he grabbed his Dao companion's hand and quickly stepped into the illusion array again. Their figures rapidly vanished into the Dense forest.

Another hour later...

"This makes no sense. This shouldn't be possible."

Jiu Wu sat cross-legged in a clearing covered in fallen leaves, his hands constantly forming calculations.

Jiu Shi stroked her smooth, slightly pointed, lovely chin as she paced back and forth. She continually recited several array formulas she knew, but at this moment, they were no help at all.

The problem now was no longer how to quickly find Jiu Jiu within the great array.

The most crucial issue was that they had already...

Lost their way within the Chain Array!

Even if they flew straight upward or burrowed downward, they would enter another illusion array!

Round and round they went; even if they wanted to retreat, they could not find a way out!

Jiu Shi said, "How about we just blast open this great array?"

"We can't. Did we come here to catch someone or to blow up a mountain?"

Jiu Wu smiled bitterly. "Besides, if word gets out that we, a married couple of True Immortals, were trapped in Lesser Qiong Peak, a place without even an immortal stationed there, where would we put our faces?"

Jiu Shi complained, "Aren't you skilled in arrays?"

"These truly are all very basic arrays, but Chain Arrays have no fixed solution. We can only keep exploring and breaking them, or find the flaws between one array and another.

But the person who set up these arrays has concealed the flaws far too perfectly."

Jiu Wu slapped his forehead. "Come on, I've thought of a way to break the array. Let's try again!"

Thus, another hour later...

Thud!

About five chi above the ground, a smooth forehead repeatedly collided with the trunk of a great tree.

The eye sockets of this short Daoist had sunken inward. Those eyes that were usually bright and spirited were now filled with gloom. His brown Daoist robe was speckled with dry grass and fallen leaves, and the aura around his entire body trembled in chaos.

He slammed his forehead against the trunk again, letting out two cold chuckles as he muttered:

"It's fake, isn't it?

The Dao of arrays I comprehended before was all fake, wasn't it...

So basic arrays can form the most brilliant illusion and trapping arrays. So I've been walking the wrong path all this time...

Could it be that my Dao is wrong too? The Wu Wei Scripture must be wrong as well.

Hehe...

So I'm only a True Immortal of this level. Hehe..."

Jiu Shi stood beside him, utterly at a loss and unsure what to say. She hurried forward, knelt on one knee, and wrapped her arms around her Dao companion.

"Junior Brother, don't scare me. We can just blast open the great array."

"No, absolutely not.

How could someone capable of setting up such a great array fail to prepare for a direct bombardment? It might immediately transform into a killing array...

Senior Sister?"

Jiu Wu's lips trembled. He raised his head to look at the beautiful, enchanting immortaless before him, then gave a miserable smile.

"So all along, I was never worthy of you."

Jiu Shi hurriedly hugged Jiu Wu tighter. "Don't say such things. We swore an oath before the Great Dao—to never leave or forsake one another through Eternal Life after Eternal Life!"

"I really am not wor—"

Whoosh—

A gentle breeze swept past. White mist suddenly filled the forest, only to rapidly dissipate.

At the same time, the two heard a conversation coming from not far away.

"Martial Uncle Jiu, let's rehearse it once. Later, when I put these two herbs into the furnace, you will..."

"Mm, no problem."

Jiu Wu and Jiu Shi exchanged a glance. The latter immediately cast a technique, turning the two into patches of shadow as they fled toward the source of the voices.

Very quickly, the two discovered that the spot where they had just been was only a hundred zhang away from the Jiu Jiu they had been searching for!

Hiding behind a large tree, the two quietly poked their heads out and looked toward the Alchemy Room.

Since the furnace was about to be opened for pill refinement, the windows on both sides of the Alchemy Room were open. From Jiu Wu and Jiu Shi's angle, they could see Li Changshou and Jiu Jiu standing before the pill furnace, discussing something.

Without their noticing, it was already near dusk. A slanting ray of sunlight shone through the window and fell upon Jiu Jiu.

With her hands behind her back, the tip of her left foot touching the ground, she leaned forward slightly and carefully listened as the tall figure before her explained the detailed steps of the upcoming pill refinement.

In the sunlight, the tips of her hair that had just fallen upon her shoulders gleamed softly, while her skin shone with a lustrous warmth. Her star-like eyes were especially clear and bright.

Her slender neck, her exquisite curves—everything about her radiated an ethereal beauty.

And beside her, that male cultivator dressed in an azure-blue robe, his long hair simply bound by a Daoist Circlet... omitted.

Jiu Wu looked puzzled and softly muttered, "Martial Nephew Changshou? The arrays here, could they be..."

Before he could finish, a soft hand immediately covered his mouth. Jiu Shi chuckled beside him and transmitted her voice, "Shh!

Let's go. We'll talk after we return. Don't disturb them."

Jiu Wu was immediately confused. "We're leaving just like that?"

"What else?

That junior is quite handsome.

He looks rather dependable too. It's just that his cultivation is only at the Void Returning Realm... but that isn't really a problem."

Jiu Shi smiled faintly, pulling Jiu Wu along as she began to use a stealth technique.

Just then, a tender green leaf left its home, drifted and swayed, and landed atop Jiu Wu's head...

They had finally left.

Li Changshou sighed in relief inwardly, activated the surrounding great array again, and repeatedly checked every part of it several times.

Luckily, nothing had been exposed.

The trapping array's effects had been unexpectedly good, and the information the trapping array itself conveyed to those entering it was also in line with Li Changshou's original expectations.

"Let's begin refining pills."

After saying this, he turned and walked toward an open space nearby. He took out the Treasure Pouch marked 'Xuan Eleven,' gave it a shake in front of him, and a heap of items fell onto the ground.

Magic Tool Treasure Robes shaped like spacesuits, Ten Thousand Poisons Gloves capable of withstanding most corrosion from 'fierce poisons,' poison-repelling talismans, detoxifying spirit pills, corrosion-resistant tweezers, clamps, strangely shaped containers...

"What are these?" Jiu Jiu asked in puzzlement.

"Some necessary preparations for refining poison pills," Li Changshou said with a smile. "I prepared a set for Martial Uncle as well. Put it on with me.

Though Martial Uncle's immortal power is abundant, poison can seep in through every opening. It is better to be careful."

"All right. Little Martial Nephew really does think of this Martial Uncle."

Jiu Jiu blinked and curiously came over from the side.

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Thank you, dear readers, for your support. Last week, we held steady at fourth or fifth place. For better promotion, and to let more fellow book lovers fall into this pit, keep charging~