Array, or also known as Formation...
They are basically magical circuit or engineered field of power, crafted using the principles of Heaven, Earth, and spiritual energy to control the environment or produce supernatural effects.
There are 8 basic types of arrays:
Only those who have a deep understanding of the laws of Heaven and Earth can practice this art. Such individuals are known as Array Masters.
Currently, Yue Ling was a Second-Tier Array Master. She had placed a concealment array at the base of the mountain slope, with six enchanted array flags buried into the rock and soil, forming a formation she called the Hidden Rock Veil.
"But the fact that you saw through my array so quickly... haizz." Yue Ling sighed, looking a little disheartened. "Looks like I still need more practice."
"No, Senior Sister! That’s only because you told me there was an array here!" Langtian said quickly. "If you hadn’t said anything, I could’ve walked past this place a hundred times and never noticed a thing!"
Yue Ling chuckled softly.
That is the core principle behind concealment.
One of the greatest strengths of any array is secrecy, the power of the unknown.
For a Killing Array, the element of surprise can make it a thousand times deadlier.
And for a Concealment Array, even the simplest one can fool even a high-tier Array Master... as long as they aren’t actively looking for it.
But the moment someone knows there was an array nearby, then unraveling it is just a matter of time.
"Alright, let’s go in?" Yue Ling.
The two then moved towards the rocky mountain slope.
And then, when they faced the wall, they just simply... walked through.
After all, this was just a concealment array that would play an image of the rocky wall at anyone who looked at it.
The wall had never been real.
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The moment they stepped through the array, they entered a wide, rocky tunnel.
"Woaaahhh..." Langtian breathed.
What he saw took his breath away.
The tunnel stretched deep into the mountain, its walls rough with jagged stone and embedded with glowing red crystals. The crystals came in various shapes. Some were long and spear-like, jutting out like frozen flames, while others clustered like blooming flowers along the walls. Their light shimmered softly, casting a warm red glow across the uneven floor and the arched ceiling above. It felt as though they were walking through the living veins of the mountain itself.
Until now, Langtian had only seen these crystals from a distance. They were mostly high up along the cliffs, far beyond reach. But now, for the first time, he stood right among them.
Yue Ling walked beside him, her figure glowing faintly under the red light.
"I don’t know the real name of these crystals," she started. "So I just call these Crimson Dawnlight Crystals."
"Crimson Dawnlight..." Langtian echoed. "That’s actually a good name!"
Thanks to the light from these crystals, they could see clearly in this dark valley where sunlight never reached.
In a way, their survival depended on them.
Without these crystals, life down here would’ve been much harder, perhaps even impossible.
"And because there are so many here, I call this place the Crimson Dawnlight Tunnel," Yue Ling added with a small smile.
"I see," Langtian nodded, still gazing around in awe.
He stepped closer to one of the crystals and gently tapped it with his knuckles.
A dull, solid sound echoed. The crystal was incredibly hard, far tougher than it looked.
Langtian felt a faint tingle in his spiritual sense.
"Wait... spiritual energy?" His eyes widened in realization.
"Yup," Yue Ling nodded.
Without hesitation, Langtian pressed his palm against the surface of a Crimson Dawnlight crystal.
He felt it instantly. There was a strong pulse of spiritual energy flowing within. It was far more potent than the energy stored in the spirit stones he used back at the Mysterious Sun Sect. And within that energy... of course, there was a distinct, faint trace of demonic qi mingled in.
He could easily imagine these crystals containing ten times more spiritual energy than any spirit stone of similar size.
"I really wish we could harvest them though," Yue Ling muttered. She was now standing beside him, placing her hand against a crystal as well and sighed.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Langtian asked.
"I mean exactly that. They’re just too hard. There’s no way we can break them open to draw the energy inside."
"Seriously? Have you tried using weapons?"
"Haha, of course I did!" she laughed. "But not even a scratch!"
"Oh wow..." Langtian blinked in disbelief.
He stared at the glowing crystal.
It was hard to believe.
This was Senior Sister Shangguan, the same woman who once felled a Rank Four Demonic Beast with a single, terrifying strike.
And yet... even she couldn’t break these stones?
"Arrrgh! What a waste!" Langtian groaned, clutching his head in frustration.
"Haha, I know right?" Yue Ling laughed. "It’s like holding treasure in your hands, but not being able to take a single coin."
Langtian stared at the glowing red crystal beside him, still in disbelief.
"I mean... just look at this... this tunnel alone..." he muttered. "It could probably fuel the entire Mysterious Sun Sect’s cultivation for ten years straight!"
"Or better yet," Yue Ling added, tapping the crystal with her knuckle, "maybe someone could forge these into weapons or armor."
"Oh!" Langtian’s eyes lit up.
If there was a way to create a weapon or armor as hard and sturdy as these crystals...
It would be unbelievably powerful!
Langtian let out a long sigh, then gave the crystal one last look before turning back.
"Anyway," Yue Ling said, "the reason we’re here isn’t for the crystals."
"Ah, yes!" Langtian exclaimed. "Earlier, you said you wanted me to meet someone!"
"And where is he now?"
"He’s in the cave dwelling at the end of this tunnel," she said, nodding forward.
And so, they continued walking...
Deeper into the glowing path of the Crimson Dawnlight Tunnel.