Bai Zichen tossed the Sword Key back and forth in his hand, studying it for a long while.

It was made of ancient bronze, heavy in his palm, but nothing about it seemed particularly special.

"This Sword Key is issued by the Sun Concealing Sword Sect. I’ve heard it’s part of a rule established by them in conjunction with several other Sword Cultivation Sects... With this key, you can participate in a Secret Realm trial related to Sword Dao inheritance."

Liang Yu had clearly heard of the Sword Key’s origins and began to explain.

"However, this Secret Realm isn’t within the borders of Liang Country. The Sun Concealing Sword Sect is only responsible for distribution and selecting Sword Dao geniuses. The true founders are someone else—a Great Sword Dao Sect from Beiyuan Country. It’s said they have a Nascent Soul True Monarch presiding over them."

"That’s why this Sword Key is so famous among the Sword Cultivators of the surrounding countries. Any Sword Cultivator with confidence in their abilities will try everything to get one and test their mettle."

"I see."

Bai Zichen put the Sword Key away. Beiyuan was adjacent to Liang Country, a nation of comparable size.

"Junior Brother, your Divine Sense is powerful, and the Ancestor intends to pass on the Array Dao to you. You must seize this opportunity... The few Tier Two Array Masters in the sect have all been taught by the Ancestor, but from what he’s said, not a single one of them has what it takes to break through to become a Tier Three Array Master."

Liang Yu spoke with earnest gravity, afraid that Bai Zichen was too engrossed in the Sword Dao to value the legacy of Arrays.

"A Tier Three Array Master is no less important to the Sect than a Core Formation True Man. Whether it’s for setting up and maintaining the Mountain Protection Array or taking control during an attack, a Tier Three Array Master can increase a Tier Three Array’s power by several degrees. Junior Brother, if you can inherit the Ancestor’s Array mantle, your future achievements will far surpass my own."

"I understand. I’ll study it when I have time and see if I truly have any talent for the Array Dao."

How could Bai Zichen not understand the importance of a Tier Three Array Master?

Among the Hundred Skills of Cultivation, Alchemists were the most respected, followed by Artifact Refiners, but that was from the perspective of an individual Cultivator.

At the level of a large faction, the status of an Array Master rose dramatically.

However, the Dao of Arrays was as vast and profound as a sea of smoke; it was not something one could achieve success in over a short period.

In a world where great power resided within oneself, the choice between advancing one’s personal Realm and one’s Hundred Arts Realm was obvious: the former always came first.

Bai Zichen was very clear on this point and would not mix up his priorities.

"Right, once the Grand Array is set up, besides the Lake Heart Island which is reserved for Ancestor Yang, we’ll be able to create several Tier Three Cave Mansions. Are you interested?"

Liang Yu, perhaps sensing Bai Zichen’s lack of sincerity, shook his head and didn’t press the matter further. Instead, he brought up another important topic.

"Your current residence, Moon-Locking Pool, will be reclaimed in a few years, and the Sect has no vacant Tier Three Spirit Lands at the moment. Given the scale of Feiyue Lake, I estimate we can create at least five new Tier Three Spirit Lands here."

"It would be for the best if I could be allocated a Tier Three Spirit Land at Feiyue Lake... Please, Senior Brother, help me keep an eye out for when the distribution will begin."

Bai Zichen’s heart stirred. This matter was indeed very important to him.

With the Spiritual Energy refining efficiency of his Three Spiritual Roots Talent, he definitely wouldn’t be able to maintain his previous Cultivation speed without the support of a Tier Three Spirit Land.

As for whether he stayed at the main mountain or at Feiyue Lake, he didn’t really care.

"Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye out for you. Unlike newly vacated Tier Three Spirit Lands at the Mountain Gate, which require you to wait in line, a newly pioneered Spirit Vein like the one at Feiyue Lake has no such rule."

Liang Yu seemed to have thought of something, his gaze turning stern as he spoke with resolute finality.

"With Junior Brother Bai’s contributions in the pioneering war, it is perfectly reasonable for you to be allocated a Tier Three Spirit Land. Just leave it to me."

Over the next few days, as large numbers of Cultivators withdrew, Feiyue Lake grew much quieter.

The Array Hall spent another ten-odd days and finally finished laying out all the Array Banners and Array Plates for the Three Thousand Six Hundred Rings Water Smoke Array. All that remained was the final activation step.

But this very step required a Tier Three Array Master to take action. Otherwise, if the Grand Array wasn’t perfectly aligned with the flow of the Spirit Vein, the Tier Three Array’s power would be drastically reduced. It might even expose flaws that shouldn’t exist when under attack.

"Not bad. You all have been diligent. There are no problems with the Array’s layout."

Ancestor Yang descended from the sky. He had already inspected the Array and was clearly very satisfied.

"It is all thanks to the Ancestor’s excellent guidance in the past."

The lead Array Master hurriedly bowed and handed the Array’s control core to Ancestor Yang.

Bai Zichen and all the other Sect Elders present stood quietly to the side, awaiting the moment the Array would be activated.

"Activate!"

With a soft cry, Ancestor Yang’s ten fingers flicked continuously. Streaks of white light shot into the Array Banners, which began to slowly shift their positions, drawing in nature’s spiritual energy.

At the same time, as they pulled on each other, a profound connection formed, and Spiritual Qi surged.

A Tier Three Grand Array like this could only be single-handedly mobilized and deployed by someone like Ancestor Yang, who held the dual status of a Core Formation True Man and a Tier Three Array Master.

Otherwise, even with Master Ge Cang’s Cultivation, it would be impossible to accomplish this with such effortless ease.

A thick fog rose from the lake’s surface, so dense you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.

And it didn’t just obscure vision. Even when one’s Divine Sense left their body, it was only effective within a three-meter radius. Any further and it became as useless as a headless fly wandering into the water-mist.

Even though they had been notified in advance, a few gasps of surprise came from the group of Elders.

Every Foundation Establishment Cultivator was accustomed to using their Divine Sense. To suddenly lose its function was inevitably disorienting.

The water-mist started from Feiyue Lake and slowly spread outward, encompassing the surrounding intertwined waterways, the shallow and narrow river channels, a few scattered Spirit Fields, and two mountain peaks with Tier Two Spirit Veins.

This process lasted for a full hour.

Ancestor Yang reached out and pressed down. All the Array Banners simultaneously released curtains of water, which overlapped layer upon layer, forming a single sheet in the air.

At the same time, he drove thirty-six Top-Grade Spirit Stones into the Array Plate. With a single gesture at the array’s control core, the immense Spiritual Power contained within the thirty-six Top-Grade Spirit Stones was completely drained.

A Tier Three Grand Array connects heaven and earth and links with the Earth Veins; its initial activation requires Top-Grade Spirit Stones.

For normal operation in the future, it would only need to draw upon nature’s spiritual energy.

Even if a great enemy attacked, the Tier Three Top-Grade Spiritual Vein would supply it with Spiritual Power.

Only if it were surrounded by a horde of enemies and subjected to years of attacks would the Tier Three Top-Grade Spiritual Vein be unable to keep up. At that point, it would have to be supplemented with Top-Grade Spirit Stones.

If exchanging Low-Grade Spirit Stones for Mid-Grade ones only involved a slight premium, then exchanging for Top-Grade Spirit Stones cost an exorbitant amount.

Twenty thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones could only be exchanged for a single Top-Grade Spirit Stone.

This meant that the activation of the Three Thousand Six Hundred Rings Water Smoke Array alone consumed more than seven hundred thousand Spirit Stones, not even counting the refining costs of the Array Banners and Array Plates.

The sheer expense of a Tier Three Grand Array was plain to see.

Other than a Core Formation Power, who could possibly afford to set one up?

As the Spiritual Power from the thirty-six Top-Grade Spirit Stones surged in, the water curtain flickered in and out of existence before the air returned to normal.

Even the dense water-mist dissipated for the most part, leaving only a light haze that no longer affected one’s line of sight.

"The Grand Array is now active. The entry and exit Tokens have long since been refined. Come to my island later to collect them... I still have to set up the Spirit Gathering Array over the next two days, so don’t disturb me unless it’s important."

After tossing out these words, Ancestor Yang’s entire being transformed into a gust of gentle wind and drifted away.

Bai Zichen stared at the distant Grand Array, his gaze lingering for a long time.

Witnessing the entire process of a Tier Three Grand Array’s activation up close was truly breathtaking.

Cultivators strengthen their bodies and enhance their Magical Power, while the Dao of Arrays borrows nature’s spiritual energy, secretly aligning with the flow of the Great Dao.

’Perhaps I really should set aside some time to look at those Array Jade Scrolls...’

Bai Zichen’s long-term goals remained unchanged. He would still wait until after Core Formation to delve deeply into the Hundred Skills of Cultivation; building a foundation during the Foundation Establishment Stage was enough.

But he could expand his previous plan from one skill, Artifact Refining, to two, adding Arrays to the list.

"Starting tomorrow, except for the Elders and disciples temporarily assigned to garrison Feiyue Lake, everyone else will withdraw to the Sect in an orderly fashion... As for the long-term garrison list, that will be decided at the next Elder Council meeting."

Once the Three Thousand Six Hundred Rings Water Smoke Array was up, Feiyue Lake was as steady as Mount Tai. Even if the Flood Dragon were to be resurrected, it would never be able to reclaim its territory.

Wei Dao immediately issued the Sect Leader’s decree, preparing to return to the Sect.

The Cultivators temporarily left behind were mainly disciples from the Array Hall and the Spirit Plant Hall, numbering only a few hundred in total.

In truth, Feiyue Lake and its surrounding Spirit Lands could easily accommodate several thousand, or even tens of thousands, of Cultivators.

A Tier Three Top-Grade Spiritual Vein destined Feiyue Lake to become more than just an ordinary branch. A hundred years from now, it would surely be a secondary center for the Qingfeng Sect, its influence radiating deep into Black Mountain.

...

’The Dao of Arrays is truly profound. I’m already a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, and my Divine Sense is nearly at the level of a Late-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, yet it still took me more than ten days just to grasp the basics of this Tier One Array...’

Bai Zichen put down the Jade Scroll in his hand. For the past half a month, he had mainly been reading through some of Ancestor Yang’s insights on Arrays while also focusing his research on a single introductory Array.

For the Hundred Skills of Cultivation, besides testing a Cultivator’s own talent, the higher one’s Cultivation, the greater the advantage when looking back to study them. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

For example, the same Cultivator might need three years to get started in the Talisman Dao during the Qi Refining Stage. But after reaching Foundation Establishment, with a more far-sighted perspective and, most importantly, the aid of Divine Sense, it would take a few days at most.

This was also why Bai Zichen was unwilling to invest too much time in the Hundred Skills of Cultivation. First, he didn’t have that much time to spare. Second, after he reached Core Formation, he could come back and master them in far less time.

’This Minor Rejuvenation Array can speed up the Magical Power recovery of Cultivators within a ten-meter radius... Hmm, it’s only effective on Early-Stage Qi Refining Cultivators, so it’s considered the most basic Tier One Low-Grade Array.’

Bai Zichen looked at the green-glowing Array at his feet, nodded in satisfaction, and then dispelled it with a wave of his hand.

Even though it was only a Tier One Low-Grade Array, it had taken him considerable effort to comprehend, and he had failed more than ten times in the process.

Now that he had successfully laid it out today, he could be considered a Tier One Low-Grade Array Master.

’One thing’s for sure: when it comes to the Dao of Arrays, I’m definitely not one of those geniuses who understands everything instantly and can extrapolate from a single point... Without investing a massive amount of time and energy, it’ll be impossible for me to become a Tier Two Array Master.’

With some regret, Bai Zichen put away the Array legacy Jade Scroll. Today was the day he would return to the Sect on the Wind Shuttle.

The next time he could come to Feiyue Lake would depend on when Senior Brother Liang Yu could arrange for the Tier Three Spirit Land, allowing him to return as a resident.