Whether Evan Reed liked it or not, he was now committed to studying the Way of Arrays.
In the days that followed, besides practicing the Hidden Form Sutra, he spent his time learning array techniques from Lorian Vale. Fortunately, since he was only cleansing his meridians and not yet formally cultivating, he had plenty of spare time.
"The Way of Arrays uses mathematical principles to align with the will of heaven. To master it, one must understand the heart of heaven…" Today's lesson from Lorian Vale was about the natural evolution of arrays.
According to Lorian, everything in nature existed by heaven's design, and each blade of grass and tree had its purpose. Thus, his approach to arrays emphasized natural adaptation—following one's instincts and leveraging the environment.
This meant that the same array could be set up differently depending on the surroundings, and its effects would vary accordingly. For example, the small labyrinth array Lorian had previously used would require a different setup and produce different results in another location.
Of course, it wasn't strictly necessary to adapt, but aligning with nature made the array more seamless and powerful. In the world of arrays, nature was the best disguise.
Unlike cultivators, who could sense and avoid dangerous areas, arrays directly harnessed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, making them immensely powerful. Thus, an array that couldn't conceal its presence was a flawed one. Lorian Vale excelled in this aspect—his arrays were nearly undetectable before activation. The golden-armored deity who had fought him earlier hadn't noticed the Eight Gates Heaven-Locking Array at all. If not for his overwhelming strength, he might have been trapped and killed.
Moreover, Lorian was skilled at observing the environment and finding elements to incorporate into his arrays.
"Look at the mountain, but see beyond the mountain; look at the water, but see beyond the water. Every part of this world, if used properly, can serve as an array eye, pattern, or gate. Most people ignorantly rely on rare materials, but that misses the true essence of the Way of Arrays," Lorian sighed.
"So, Big Brother Lorian, you're saying that while others build arrays with spiritual materials—like constructing a house with stones and timber—you prefer to 'dig a hole in a tree,' so to speak?" Evan asked.
"You make it sound like my arrays are inferior," Lorian huffed. "Building a house in a tree might not compare to one made of stone, but what if you use the entire world as your house? With mountains as bones and rivers as veins, how would that compare?"
"That would be unmatched," Evan admitted. "But are there such arrays?"
"Yes!" Lorian replied firmly. "If I had any doubts before, I can now say with certainty that they exist."
"It's the array created by the Warlord of the Nine Li, isn't it?" Evan suddenly interjected.
Lorian froze, staring at Evan. "You know?"
Evan nodded. "Yes, and not just that. I also know… the golden-armored deity who chased you was from the Celestial God Palace, right?"
Lorian trembled. "How did you figure that out?"
"It's not hard," Evan replied calmly. "The Vale family is one of the four great cultivation families of Moqiu, renowned throughout the land. Few sects would dare hunt you down, especially across borders. Who else but the Celestial God Palace would pursue you to the ends of the earth?"
Over time, Evan had learned more about the Qixia Realm. It consisted of six nations, fifty-nine provinces, seven seas, and ninety-eight islands. Wenxin and Moqiu were two of the six major nations.
According to cultivation customs, each nation was governed by one major sect. The Moon-Washing Sect ruled Wenxin, while the Celestial God Palace controlled Moqiu. These six great sects were supreme, and even national rulers had to bow before them. Smaller sects survived by aligning with these powers.
Though the Vale family was prestigious, it paled in comparison to the Celestial God Palace. If the palace wanted Lorian dead, no one could stop them.
Thus, Evan easily deduced who was after Lorian.
"So, you've figured out the whole story?" Lorian asked.
Evan smiled. "The Warlord of the Nine Li, the Hidden Form Sutra for his reincarnation, a peerless array… it's not hard to piece together. It's probably a tale of exploring a secret realm, seizing treasures, and betrayal—nothing unusual in the cultivation world. You've warned me often enough about its dangers."
Lorian opened his mouth but couldn't find words. Finally, he laughed. "Clever boy. I shouldn't have underestimated you. Yes, the invitation came from the Celestial God Palace. They discovered the Warlord's resting place and asked me to break the array and explore the secrets within. I was naive, thinking that as a member of the Vale family, they wouldn't dare betray me. But they were ruthless. If I hadn't realized their intentions and escaped in time, I might have survived the Nine Extremes Immortal-Slaying Array only to die at their hands!"
His voice was filled with righteous anger.
When the Celestial God Palace first approached him, revealing they had found the Warlord's resting place, Lorian was astonished.
A resting place, or "returning to the void," was where a cultivator's spiritual energy returned to nature upon death. Powerful cultivators released immense energy, sometimes transforming barren lands into blessed realms. Thus, immortal sects had no graves—their resting places became spiritual lands.
Immortal sects encouraged disciples to return to the sect before death, contributing to the sect's spiritual energy over time. This was part of a sect's foundation.
The spiritual energy in a realm was finite. As sects accumulated energy, other areas became depleted. The bandit leader Bei Sihai had once accused immortals of depleting the world's energy for their own gain.
The Celestial God Palace claimed to have found a spiritually rich area in the Sky Capital Mountains, suspecting a great cultivator had died there. After a long search, they discovered a grand array leaking spiritual energy, indicating an even richer source within.
They also found a bronze mirror.
"The one you often toy with?" Evan exclaimed.
"Yes," Lorian said, producing the mirror.
The mirror had two sides: the yin side depicted lifelike animals, plants, mountains, and rivers, surrounded by intricate array patterns. As Evan gazed at it, the world seemed to shift, drawing him into a fantastical realm. Lorian quickly covered the yin side, snapping Evan back to reality.
The yang side bore a large character: "兵" (War), framed by more array patterns. The strokes were bold and powerful, exuding an aura of killing intent that nearly pierced Evan.
He cried out, and Lorian swiftly put the mirror away. "Your cultivation is insufficient. This mirror carries the Warlord's divine will. Even after eons, its sharpness is too much for you."
Evan broke into a cold sweat. A mere relic from a dead man, imbued with a sliver of his will, was still this formidable. How terrifying must the Warlord have been in life? No wonder Lorian revered him so.
"So, this belongs to the Celestial God Palace?" Evan asked.
"Yes," Lorian confirmed. "After finding the mirror, they identified the 'War' character as likely belonging to the Warlord of the Nine Li. Little is known about him now, but based on the era and the aura, they made an educated guess. The mirror was hidden in a cave sealed by a low-level but enduring array. The palace believed it was left by the Warlord for his reincarnation. Whether it truly was his or how he died is speculation—too much time has passed, and the truth is lost to history."
"It seems his reincarnation didn't succeed," Evan remarked.
Lorian smiled bitterly. "If it had, we wouldn't be here."
Reincarnation was a last resort for cultivators facing death, hoping to carry their legacy into the next life. However, memories were lost upon rebirth, and recovering them was rare. Some unlucky souls might reincarnate multiple times without regaining their past, each cycle eroding their memories further until nothing remained.
The Celestial God Palace theorized that the Warlord had faced a dire crisis and chosen reincarnation, leaving the Profound War Mirror as a key to his treasures for his future self. But whether due to failure in rebirth or memory recovery, he never returned, and the mirror fell into the palace's hands.
With the mirror in their possession, the palace sought to claim the Warlord's legacy—his techniques and treasures. They expended countless lives and a century of effort trying to break the array, only to fail miserably.
At that time, Lorian's reputation as an array genius was rising, so they enlisted his help, promising rich rewards.
Lorian, well-versed in array lore, recognized the array as the long-lost Nine Extremes Immortal-Slaying Array. Using the clues on the Profound War Mirror, he cracked the first layer and obtained the Hidden Form Sutra.
It was then that he sensed the palace's intent to kill him.
"But why did they want to kill you?" Evan asked, confused. "The Celestial God Palace is vast and wealthy. Surely, they wouldn't begrudge a small reward. And the array wasn't even fully broken…"
Lorian scoffed. "It's not about the reward—it's about secrecy. The Warlord's resting place is a spiritual treasure trove. Even if it held nothing else, the land itself is invaluable, akin to a natural spirit vein. But the Sky Capital Mountains aren't in Moqiu—they're in Yanhai and the Four Extremes territories. If word got out that the Celestial God Palace was excavating there, the Horizon Ocean Pavilion and Thousand Emotion Sect would come to claim their share, leading to conflict. The Horizon Ocean Pavilion is allied with the Seven Ultimate Sect, and the Thousand Emotion Sect with the Moon-Washing Sect. The Celestial God Palace would need the Beast Refining Sect's help, and with all six great sects involved, the spoils would be divided. Since I'm not bound by the Celestial God Oath, they couldn't trust me with just a Heart Demon Oath. As for the array not being fully broken, they didn't care. They'd seen how I used the mirror, so my usefulness was over. If they didn't still want me to break the rest, they'd have killed me on the spot."
"I see," Evan said. "So, you fled and took the Hidden Form Sutra and the Profound War Mirror with you?"
"If they're unjust, I'll be unrighteous," Lorian snorted. "They wanted me dead, so I took the treasures and ran. I pretended I needed to break the second layer and sent everyone away, except for He Chong, their array expert and my 'assistant.' He's skilled in tracking, so when I escaped, he pursued me relentlessly from Moqiu to Verdant Mist Mountain. If I hadn't set up the Eight Gates Heaven-Locking Array, I'd be dead."
His voice lowered. He Chong might have been driven off, but he'd return, likely with reinforcements. Lorian's peaceful days here were numbered.
"But, Big Brother Lorian, didn't you say cultivators face the Heart Demon Tribulation? Those who act against their nature suffer from inner demons. How do they dare do this?"
Lorian explained, "Heart vows vary in magnitude, as do the demons they spawn. At the start of cultivation, one makes a grand vow, which becomes the foundation of their heart. Most vows fall into a few categories: seeking longevity or immortality; seeking dominance or freedom; seeking heroism or justice; or seeking freedom and ease. To achieve a grand vow, one might sacrifice smaller principles. For example, I might help you to settle karma, but if you hindered my path, I'd cut you down without violating my heart. Even if I felt regret, a small inner demon is easier to handle than the supreme heavenly demon from betraying a grand vow."
"So, can one have only one grand vow, or many?" Evan asked.
Lorian paused, then said, "There's no strict limit, but grand vows are both the foundation and the obstacle of cultivation. Few make multiple vows. Now, if you wish to achieve true fruition, you must make your own vow and establish your heart's foundation. That's why I asked you before why you want to cultivate. Your answer then didn't fit the usual categories. So, I'll ask again: what do you seek in cultivation?"
What did he seek?
Evan pondered deeply. After a long moment, he looked up and answered, "I don't seek fame or admiration, nor do I seek immortality or eternal life. Life has its cycles; it's enough to live splendidly while I can. I wish to roam the world freely, unburdened. So, I seek…"
He paused, then declared firmly:
"Great freedom, great ease!"