Chapter 304 – There Is Always Someone Higher
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Have Ancestor Chi Yan change his mind?
Mu Qianyu looked at Lin Ming with some suspicious, as if this plan simply wasn’t going to work. But, since there had been so many inconceivable situations and miracles that had occurred around Lin Ming, Mu Qianyu decided to step back a bit and see what would happen.
However, she didn’t think that for a good half hour, Lin Ming would only stand there, deep in thought.
“Lin Ming, what are you planning on doing?” Mu Qianyu asked, puzzled.
Lin Ming didn’t answer, it was as if he hadn’t heard Mu Qianyu’s question at all. Then, Mu Qianyu discovered that Lin Ming had at some point entered the ethereal martial intent state, and his perception was cut off from the outside world.
While Lin Ming was in the ethereal martial intent state, the surrounding fire origin energy was involuntarily absorbed into him. This was the effect of the Heretical God Seed displaying itself. With the Heretical God Seed, even without Lin Ming’s control, it would still independently absorb origin energy.
‘Is Lin Ming taking this opportunity to cultivate?’
Mu Qianyu couldn’t help but think this. After all, the fire origin energy here was abundant and pure. If one cultivated here, they would have twice the result with half the effort.
This sort of digging in someone else’s corner and taking advantage of them was just too rude and tasteless. But, Mu Qianyu had a very good grasp of Lin Ming’s character. He wasn’t the sort of person who would do something so dastardly. Much less if he were only standing here for a day, how much fire origin energy could he possibly absorb?
What was he doing?
Thus another half hour passed. The sky was becoming darker, and at this moment, from the deepest depths of the fire formation, Ancestor Chi Yan let out a heavy grunt.
“Boy, are you absorbing my fire origin energy?”
Lin Ming was startled, immediately awakening from his ethereal martial intent. Ancestor Chi Yan’s grunt had contained a fluctuation of true essence, and had lifted him from his ethereal state. But he was able to do what he wanted to in an hour’s time.
“Is this boy of yours also from Divine Phoenix Island? He refuses to leave, and also tries to steal away the fire origin energy that this old man has attracted here? When did the disciples from Divine Phoenix Island become such amazing individuals?”
Ancestor Chi Yan’s voice dripped with irony. The truth was, he didn’t care much about the fire origin energy, it was just that Lin Ming’s approach wasn’t to his liking.
“This old man will consider the fame of Divine Phoenix Island and will not bother with the likes of you. Now, make haste and get off my mountain. When this old man eats his dinner, he doesn’t like beggars circling around his table, picking up scraps from the ground!”
These words of Ancestor Chi Yan were just too harsh, too crass, even Mu Qianyu’s expression changed. Although Ancestor Chi Yan referred to Lin Ming, he had associated her with him. Mu Qianyu had always had a noble and lofty status, how could she lose face like this?
However, Ancestor Chi Yan’s strength was far beyond hers, and he had a strange and eccentric temperament. He wasn’t the type that would even give face to her master. Mu Qianyu could only endure, pulling at Lin Ming’s sleeve and rebuking him, “Lin Ming, what are you doing? If you want to absorb the fire origin energy, then my Divine Phoenix Island also has this. There is no need to stand here, let’s descend the mountain first.”
Lin Ming said, “Miss Mu, I’m not absorbing the fire origin energy, it’s just…” After Lin Ming spoke to her, he then shouted out, “Senior Chi Yan, I accidently absorbed your fire origin energy. For that, I am truly sorry. But, I think that if you can contain all of the fire origin energy within the eight trigrams fire formation, it won’t be absorbed by others, and the power of the heavenly fire will also be enhanced!”
The eight trigrams fire formation that Ancestor Chi Yan laid down could contain all of the heat, but it could not isolate all of the fire origin energy from passing through. To the array formation, this was a very big loss.
Ancestor Chi Yan coldly snorted and said, “You snotty-nosed baby, what do you know? This old man will not bother with your nonsense. Quickly get off this old man’s mountain or do not blame this old man for being impolite!”
Being bothered by Lin Ming again, Ancestor Chi Yan’s mood became increasingly poor. He had gone into seclusion for the sake of mediating on an ancient array formation jade slip that he had found in order to improve the power of the eight trigrams fire array formation. With Lin Ming standing outside, it was no different than a fly bothering him as he was reading. He just wanted to slap him to death.
“Lin Ming, let’s quickly go.” Mu Qianyu knew of Ancestor Chi Yan’s temperament. If Lin Ming truly provoked his ire, there was a great chance he would die here.
As Lin Ming was being pulled by Mu Qianyu, he loudly said again, “Senior Chi Yan, was this junior wrong?”
Ancestor Chi Yan suddenly said, “Enough with your worthless talk!”
Containing all of the fire origin energy would of course increase the might of the heavenly fire, even a fool would know this! The problem was, just how would this be achieved? He had used a massive amount of time and energy to lay down this eight trigrams fire array formation. He had used his own vast knowledge of array formation as the blueprint, and then also integrated some ancient array formation knowledge, finally creating this.
It was already very difficult to isolate the heat from passing through. If he wanted to also isolate the fire origin energy, it was simply just a dream. The power would be amazing, enough to quicken the fire origin energy of the Primal Chaos Heavens into this array formation. But wasn’t this easier said than done?
“Senior Chi Yan, this junior met an expert when he was young and was taught about array formations and inscription techniques as a child. Although I am a bit dumb and lacking in talent, I still learnt much, especially about the arrangement of fire-attribute array formations. About these, I have some understanding. Senior Chi Yan’s array formation…” Despite Mu Qianyu’s frantic winks signaling him to run, he still shouted out loud like before.
The array formation that Ancestor Chi Yan laid down, in comparison to the array formation that the Supreme Elder from the Realm of the Gods did, was truly full of flaws and errors that were difficult to bear.
Although Lin Ming could find these flaws with relative ease, it wasn’t easy to improve them. That was why Lin Ming had entered into the ethereal martial intent state in order to fuse with all of the memories from that Supreme Elder from the Realm of the Gods. After contemplating for an hour, he finally figured out solutions for several areas. These were only general ideas, but if Ancestor Chi Yan studied along Lin Ming’s direction, he should be able to obtain many insights.
“Hahahahahahaha!” Ancestor Chi Yan laughed, a vast wave of true essence surging in all directions. Even the flames within the eight trigrams fire array formation began to churn!
Lin Ming paled, retreating several steps as he was unable to bear the pressure. Thankfully, Mu Qianyu had held onto him, and was quickly pushing true essence into Lin Ming’s body, therefore protecting him.
“Lin Ming, don’t say things just because you can! Senior Chi Yan is a Revolving Core master, and also an array formation grandmaster! Do you have confidence?” At this time Mu Qianyu was extremely vexated. She wanted to forcefully stop Lin Ming’s actions and fly down the mountain with him.
Although all sorts of incredible miracles had happened to Lin Ming, improving this eight trigrams fire array formation was simply too ridiculous, it was just plain unbelievable. Array formations were a profound and esoteric art, all true array grandmasters like Ancestor Chi Yan had spent hundreds of years to gradually reach where they did.
How old was Lin Ming? Even if he had monstrous talent, how many things could he actually learn at once? Besides, how great could this so called ‘expert’ master of his be to appear in Sky Fortune Kingdom. Could this ‘expert’ be at the Revolving Core realm? Even if this master was at the Revolving Core realm, could they compare to Ancestor Chi Yan?”
If Lin Ming had studied under this master, could his attainments of array formation still surpass that of Ancestor Chi Yan? Even though Mu Qianyu usually trusted Lin Ming a great deal, she still didn’t believe in this.
Chi Yang laughed for a full ten breaths before stopping. “This is just too farcical! I, Chi Yan, have already lived for 380 years! To think that one day, I would have some snotty-nosed brat and his country bumpkin array neophyte master thinking that they can give pointers to this old man about his understanding of array formations!”
Lin Ming was repeatedly ridiculed by Ancestor Chi Yan, and that old bag of bones had actually poured true essence into his laughter, almost damaging his meridians. Even Lin Ming’s anger was swelling up. He said, “My master might not be some country bumpkin, Senior Chi Yan! There is no limit to this world, however strong you are, there is always someone better! I was once a frog in a well, and thought that the Xiantian realm was the highest one could reach. However, I learnt afterwards, that above Xiantian was the Revolving Core, and above Revolving Core, there are even higher realms!”
“What did you say!?” Within the eight trigrams fire array formation, Senior Chi Yan’s mind chilled, and a vibrant wave of murderous intent overflowed in all directions. “You think that you are teaching this old man? Are you saying that this old man is a frog in a well? Good, very good! This old man will give you a chance, if you can say just what problems there are within the eight trigrams fire array formation, then this old man shall immediately apologize and forge your spear with my own furnace! But, if you cannot say what is wrong, then leave behind your blathering tongue and severe all your meridians, wasting your martial arts! For Divine Phoenix Island’s sake, this old man will let you keep your worthless life!”
With these few words from Ancestor Chi Yan, Mu Qianyu was greatly alarmed. Severe his meridians and waste his martial arts? To a martial artist, this was no different than dying!
In the end, her worst fears had occurred. What Ancestor Chi Yan said, he would certainly accomplish. But just how deep of an understanding could Lin Ming have of fire origin energy array formations? What if he was wrong?
Mu Qianyu’s heart was racing. At this point, there was nothing else she could do. Even if she and Little Flame added together, they were not a match for Ancestor Chi Yan.
If matters really degraded to such an irrevocable step, then Mu Qianyu could only protect Lin Ming’s life and hope that Ancestor Chi Yan would show some face to her master…
Lin Ming thought for a moment, organizing his thoughts and carefully sorting the words to use. He slowly, but clearly said, “Senior has created 12 spinning spiral fire rune columns within the fire array formation. These fire rune columns can gather and separate fire origin energy, but the created friction will drain the fire origin energy of strength, and will also disrupt the force fields that contain the fire origin energy. Not only will this wear down the array formation, causing it to need repairs every 4 or 5 years, but it will also create holes within the force field, dissipating the fire origin energy. This is one of the flaws.
“The second one, is that the 36 spiral runes are distributed in a very unreasonable manner. Because, even a small deviation in the arrangement and distance will result in the origin energies influencing each other, forming a barrier which will subsequently damage the crystals that contain the origin energy, causing a massive amount of origin energy to dissipate. Since it cannot be contained, this results in it once again escaping.”
“The third is…”
As Lin Ming endlessly droned on, Mu Qianyu listened from the side, flabbergasted. At this point, her feelings were hard to describe. That is, although she didn’t know what Lin Ming was saying, or whether it was correct, she could hear that he was very confident in his words, and they contained a powerful belief.
And what was most crucial, was that the sneering laughter from Ancestor Chi Yan within the fire array formation had long stopped…
Could it be that everything Lin Ming said was correct?
Heavens!
He was only 16 years old! Even if his master was the number one array master of Sky Spill Continent, how could he study all of this? What sort of terrifying perception was this?