Translator: Silavin
After finding Dong Yu, Qin Yichen decided to depart the following day.
Because there was still one matter he needed to handle.
Arrays!
For the Withered Frost Grass cultivation sites in the Heavenly Unicorn Dynasty, mere isolation was far from enough. There remained a possibility that others would discover it.
Qin Yichen needed absolute certainty that they would remain hidden!
One could easily imagine that now, once news of the Compound Pill spread, Forces competing for Withered Frost Grass would be at the Sacred Land level.
At that time, even the Brilliant Sky Sacred Land would not be able to protect the Heavenly Unicorn Dynasty!
Regarding Arrays, Qin Yichen’s own knowledge of them was not that deep.
“Manager, I wish to examine books about Arrays. I wonder where I might view them?” Qin Yichen asked Dong Yu beside him.
“Arrays? Could it be that you want to study the Dao of Arrays?”
Dong Yu looked at him with astonishment, then advised. “The Dao of Arrays is an extremely complex Dao. I advise you to focus on the Dao of Alchemy and not stray down the wrong path.”
Although the Brilliant Sky Sacred Land excelled in Arrays, such that no other Force could match the Brilliant Sky Sacred Land in Arrays, the Sacred Land rankings already explained everything.
The Dao of Arrays was difficult to cultivate!
Even after specialising for decades, one might still only reach the Entry Stage, difficult to reach the Fully Accomplished Stage!
This was also why studying the Dao of Arrays, even in the Brilliant Sky Sacred Land, was not mainstream, despite it being their more prominent edge.
“I just want to understand it, lest I encounter Arrays in the future and I am unable to break free.” Qin Yichen found an understandable explanation.
“So that’s how it is.” Dong Yu breathed a sigh of relief, as if deeply afraid Qin Yichen would stray down the wrong path, thereby neglecting the Dao of Alchemy and Dao of Martial Arts. “If you only want to understand Arrays, you can go to the Western Brilliant Hall to peruse the books there.”
“Western Brilliant Hall?” Qin Yichen looked bewildered.
When first entering the Sacred Land, the Manager who had led them had told them that the Western Brilliant Hall managed the Sacred Land’s miscellaneous affairs.
After a moment, he thought of the Divine Jade.
This item seemed to originate from the Western Brilliant Hall.
Considering further that such a prestigious Dao of Arrays Hall had fallen to managing the Sacred Land’s miscellaneous affairs, one could see to what degree the Dao of Arrays had declined.
Subsequently, Qin Yichen took his leave of Dong Yu and alone proceeded towards the Western Brilliant Hall.
The Western Brilliant Hall remained as deserted as ever. Inside, apart from that scruffy short old man, there was no one else.
However, at this moment, that short old man was not dozing but was holding a half-person-high yellowed ancient text, reading it.
He leant very close, his entire head practically buried in the ancient text.
Drawing near, Qin Yichen even heard him muttering some difficult-to-understand words.
“Elder Hua, Elder Hua…” He called softly many times, each time separated by an interval.
“What is it!?” Suddenly, the short old man raised his head, his face full of anger, opening his mouth to rebuke him.
This foul temper was something Qin Yichen had experienced firsthand on the first day of entering the Sacred Land. At that time, even the Outer Sect Manager had been scolded until he could not raise his head, so Qin Yichen was not surprised. On the contrary, with a smile and utmost respect, he said. “This Junior wishes to view some books about Concealment Arrays. I request for Elder Hua’s generous guidance.”
“Concealment Arrays?” The short old man had originally wanted to rebuke him a few more times, but hearing him mention Arrays, he immediately narrowed his eyes and stared at him.
The Dao of Arrays, in the present day, was practically a forgotten existence, so he felt somewhat surprised.
“Second floor, sixteenth bookshelf. Go find it yourself!”
After replying, the short old man again buried his head in that half-person-high ancient text and paid him no further attention.
“Many thanks.” After bowing to him, Qin Yichen headed towards the second floor.
The second floor had an extraordinary number of bookshelves.
Qin Yichen casually picked up a book and flipped through it, discovering they were all books about miscellaneous unusual matters, recording various extraordinary people and strange events across the continent. Naturally, there were also some records about spirits and oddities, and even some records of other Races.
Regarding these, in his previous life he had already understood them fairly well, so he put down the book in his hand and came to the sixteenth bookshelf.
The books on the sixteenth bookshelf were obviously different from those on the other shelves.
Seeing those books, Qin Yichen’s first impression was… that it was really old.
His second impression was… that it was really damaged.
On this bookshelf, it was almost difficult to find a complete book. One could see how ancient these books were.
Without doubt, these all recorded various Array books.
Qin Yichen casually picked up one.
“World Energy Gathering Array…”
This Array could condense World Energy from Heaven and Earth into one place. If people cultivated within a World Energy Gathering Array, naturally they would achieve twice the result with half the effort.
However, this World Energy Gathering Array was not considered a profound Array. IT could only be considered elementary. The World Energy it condensed was merely two or three times the normal pace. Though it had use, constructing the Array required Spirit Seeds to maintain. Obviously, it was more trouble than it was worth!
Qin Yichen put down the book in his hand. After continuing to flip through several more books, he discovered they were all basic Arrays, then began searching for books about Concealment Arrays.
“Spirit Concealment Array.” After a moment, an ancient text attracted his attention.
The Spirit Concealment Array recorded using terrain as the medium to construct a Concealment Array.
For example, regarding terrain, planting trees at specific locations, requiring pits at specific locations, having mountains, lakes, water, rivers… thereby constructing an Array!
This kind of Array was naturally formed. Unlike Arrays constructed with Spirit Seeds or other items, which would ultimately have some energy fluctuations from Spirit Seeds, they could still be discovered by some meticulous experts.
This Spirit Concealment Array used terrain as its medium. Naturally, there would be no energy fluctuations.
[It seems to have some commonality with the Arrays of the Mo Clan and Gongshu Clan.] Qin Yichen contemplated.
Whether the Mo Clan or Gongshu Clan, both were ancient, belonging to the Lu Ban Sect. Knowing some Concealment Arrays was perfectly normal.
After finishing reading the Spirit Concealment Array in his hand, Qin Yichen felt his head splitting with pain.
The Dao of Arrays was truly too tedious and complex. Any minute flaw might cause the Array to fail to form, or produce various vulnerabilities.
Qin Yichen could not help rubbing his aching temples.
Obviously, such a large Array, if relying on him alone, it would be impossible to complete in a short time.
[Should I find some people from the Mo Clan or Gongshu Clan to help?]
It wasn’t that he didn’t trust these two Clans’ people, but rather, the more people who knew about this matter, the easier it would be exposed.
[That’s right, isn’t there Lu Xiaoguan?] Thinking of Lu Xiaoguan, Qin Yichen’s eyes brightened.
That girl, Gongshu Zhiyi, forget it. He could not count on her.
However, Lu Xiaoguan was different. He was the Son of the Lu Clan’s Patriarch. He was the Lu Clan’s future Patriarch. Regarding Arrays, he definitely knew a thing or two. Moreover, Lu Xiaoguan was a person who always remained calm when encountering problems. He did possess the bearing of having wisdom and some wit.
Thinking this, Qin Yichen exhaled, then casually flipped through some more books on the bookshelf, understanding some principles and structures of Arrays, then put them back without studying deeply.
For him, understanding was already enough. Studying the Dao of Arrays, as Dong Yu said, was too time-consuming and difficult to fully accomplish.
[Time to return!] Thinking of the beauties and relatives in the Imperial Dynasty region, Qin Yichen couldn’t help feeling somewhat excited.