Chapter 319 - 5: Advancement to Foundation Establishment, Prelude
Chapter 319: Chapter 5: Advancement to Foundation Establishment, Prelude
With her family weighing on her mind, Chu Hanzhen knew she had to report the recent developments to them as soon as possible so they could devise a plan together. She departed in a rush, shattering the clouds and riding the wind, her figure vanishing over the horizon in an instant.
But while she left, Zhong Ming, Ji Qinglian, and Ji Qingyue did not.
On the pretext that they had many questions about Arrays and wished to consult with her at any time, Zhong Ming and Ji Qingyue asked Luo Zhiwei if they could stay for a while.
Luo Zhiwei was exceptionally perceptive. The moment she heard Zhong Ming’s plea, she understood its deeper meaning. Zhong Ming was a man highly regarded by Prince Qinghe, and Ji Qingyue and Ji Qinglian were the Prince’s beloved daughters. If the three of them were to reside in her home for an extended period, it would be a clear signal to the outside world that she, Luo Zhiwei, had chosen a side and pledged her allegiance to Prince Qinghe.
’Should I agree?’
With barely a moment of hesitation or thought, Luo Zhiwei nodded and accepted their request. "It’s no trouble. There are empty rooms in the courtyard. As long as you don’t find them too simple, you’re free to stay."
Though she was an Array Master with a personality as aloof and proud as snow on a frigid mountain peak, Luo Zhiwei was not without her own ambitions.
She had rejected the invitation from the Celestial Sea King’s faction purely because their offer hadn’t met her expectations.
As a Master in the field of Arrays, she wasn’t particularly short on common resources—countless families treated her as an honored guest.
She wasn’t that afraid of the impending second calamity, either. Unlike the Chu Family and Prince Qinghe, she had no vast Spirit Fields to guard, nor did she have massive Spiritual Ore deposits to protect.
She was alone and immensely powerful. If she encountered Evil Spirits, she might not be able to defeat them, but no one could stop her if she chose to flee.
For these reasons, she had repeatedly rejected the invitations from the Celestial Sea King’s faction.
But she did have something she pursued—advancement on her Dao path!
Just as Chu Hanzhen had said, though Luo Zhiwei’s own talent was exceptional, the path of the Array Dao was as vast and boundless as a sea of stars.
After all, the so-called Array was a method of aligning "man-made order" with the "principles of the universe." Through the ingenious arrangement of Array Patterns, array cores, and Spirit Materials, one could achieve the controllable reshaping of "rules, energy, and space," ultimately accomplishing the extraordinary feat of "borrowing the Power of Heaven and Earth for one’s own use."
Given the profound mysteries involved, she had inevitably encountered many problems on her path of cultivation.
At times like this, she desperately needed fellow practitioners with whom she could have a Dao Discussion to resolve her confusion.
Unfortunately, because of the sheer difficulty of the discipline, Array Masters were exceedingly rare. Compounding this, sectarian views were deeply entrenched, with many core principles of Arrays being closely guarded secrets of the major powers. This meant that even if she managed to find other Array Masters, they would never divulge their most esoteric knowledge to her.
This was just like the dynamic between China and the Lighthouse Country of a bygone era; in the most advanced fields of scientific research, they didn’t collaborate, but rather guarded their secrets with everything they had.
’Under normal circumstances, the Celestial Sea King’s faction wouldn’t have given up on their invitation so easily. Aside from letting me borrow the fortune of the Child of Heaven’s Will, they probably would have also offered me some of their treasured knowledge on Arrays as compensation... If they had something I deemed worthy, I likely would have accepted.’
As this thought crossed her mind, she looked toward Zhong Ming, a peculiar glint in her eyes.
’But now, things are different.’
Zhong Ming had managed to grasp the Initiation of a top-tier Array involving the very essence of time with a single glance, and had reached the Third Realm within half a day. Such heaven-defying aptitude had shaken Luo Zhiwei’s Dao Heart to its core, nearly overturning decades of her established understanding.
And after the shock, what remained in her heart was an inexpressible, pleasant surprise.
’If I can guide Zhong Ming onto the path of Arrays, it won’t be long before his understanding catches up to, and even surpasses, my own. When that time comes, the many questions in my heart may be resolved at his hands. He might even be able to guide me to the next realm on my own Dao path.’
Of the four pillars of cultivation—wealth, companion, technique, and location—the "companion" was just such a fellow seeker: one who could help you, and whom you could help in turn, as you both explored the Great Dao together.
And in Luo Zhiwei’s eyes, Zhong Ming was the best possible partner for her path. Since her own future cultivation was at stake, she certainly didn’t mind lending him a helping hand.
...
As Luo Zhiwei agreed to let Zhong Ming and the others stay, thereby indirectly declaring her stance, on the other side, Chu Hanzhen had already used the fastest Flying Secret Technique in her arsenal to return to the Chu Family estate in Immortal Martial City.
Without a moment’s delay, she used her authority to convene an emergency family meeting that very night.
DONG!
As the Ancient Bell boomed, all the Chu Family elders, as well as the Patriarch, felt a jolt of alarm. Regardless of whether they were in secluded cultivation or handling clan affairs, they all immediately dropped what they were doing.
Then, whether by riding Magical Artifacts, using Flying Escape Techniques, or activating a family Secret Technique to project an image of light and shadow, all the core members of the Chu Family gathered. Within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they were all assembled in the family’s grand council hall.
"What happened?"
"An emergency family meeting! Have our Spirit Fields or Spiritual Ores been attacked by Cultists?"
"That alone wouldn’t warrant an emergency meeting. It must be something more important... Is it about the formation of the New Army?"
Because the summons had been so abrupt, none of the arriving Chu Family elders knew what was going on. The council chamber filled with a clamor as they all began questioning one another.
"Silence!"
Finally, it was an aged yet authoritative shout from the Chu Family’s Supreme Elder, Chu Tianyi, that brought quiet back to the council chamber.
Then, the Supreme Elder’s piercing gaze swept over the hall and landed on Chu Hanzhen below.
"You’re the one who called this emergency meeting. Speak. What have you discovered that was so important you had to summon us all?"