Chapter 1602: A Perilous Conversation
At Demon Cloud Peak, Qi Yunxiao and his group crossed the Heavenly Bridge and arrived, only to see Mu Yi carving illusionary formation patterns among the artificial peaks, but Lin Feng’s figure was nowhere to be seen.
“Master Mu Yi.” Qi Yunxiao and the others stepped forward. They had not brought many people—only Qi Yunxiao, Qi Yunlei, Qi Yunsheng, Golden Dust Lord, and Qi Yuchen.
Mu Yi turned around, noticing several unfamiliar faces among the five. His eyes swept over them briefly.
“Master Mu Yi, allow me to introduce you. This is my brother Qi Yunlei and Qi Yunsheng, and this is my junior, Qi Yuchen.” Qi Yunxiao introduced them to Mu Yi, then said with a smile, “Is Master Mu En available at the moment?”
“What business do you have with Mu En?” Mu Yi’s heart stirred slightly as he asked.
“My brother Qi Yunlei also has an interest in formations. Having heard of Master Mu En’s reputation, he specifically returned from his training journey to meet Master Mu En and discuss some matters regarding the Dao of Arrays.” Qi Yunxiao showed no sign of abnormality, speaking with a smile to Mu Yi.
“I see. Then let me ask for you.” Mu Yi glanced at Qi Yunlei, then his figure flickered slightly, and in an instant, he appeared outside the room where Lin Feng was staying. He knocked lightly, and Lin Feng’s voice came from inside: “Come in.”
Mu Yi entered the room. Lin Feng had just finished carving a formation talisman and was putting it away. He turned his gaze toward Mu Yi.
“Mu En, someone from Qi Tian Fortress who is skilled in the Dao of Arrays wishes to see you,” Mu Yi said to Lin Feng aloud, while simultaneously transmitting a voice message: “Three unfamiliar faces have come from Qi Tian Fortress. Qi Yunlei’s cultivation is at the Mid-rank Emperor level. I’m not sure of their purpose in coming.”
Lin Feng nodded slightly, indicating he understood. He stood up and said, “Since they are honored guests from Qi Tian Fortress, I naturally should meet them. Let’s go out.”
The two exchanged a nod, then opened the door and walked outside.
“Master Mu En.” Qi Yunxiao and the others saw Lin Feng approaching and all smiled and nodded at him, not showing the slightest hint of suspicion on their faces.
“Senior Yunxiao, what brings you here?” Lin Feng asked with a smile, his gaze sweeping over the three people beside him. He recognized Qi Yunsheng and Qi Yuchen, but this was his first time seeing Qi Yunlei.
“Master Mu En, this is my brother Qi Yunlei. Like you, Master, he also studies the Dao of Arrays.” Qi Yunxiao pointed to Qi Yunlei, and Lin Feng’s gaze fell upon him.
“Master Mu En, you can carve formations at the Venerable Martial Realm that can slay Martial Emperors. How dare I mention the Dao of Arrays in your presence? I have come specifically to pay my respects,” Qi Yunlei said very politely. “Master Mu En, I have studied the Dao of Arrays for several decades now, yet I still cannot truly enter its hallowed halls. You are so young yet have achieved such mastery. I wonder if you could offer some guidance on where I am lacking in the Dao of Arrays.”
“I wouldn’t dare call it guidance. Let us exchange insights and verify each other’s understanding. Carve a simple formation, and I will observe it,” Lin Feng said, carefully handling the situation, not knowing their true purpose.
“Very well, Master Mu En, please have a seat.” Qi Yunlei pointed to the stone chairs in the pavilion. Lin Feng walked over and sat down, while Mu Yi began carving patterns on the central stone table. He carved with his hand, the strokes vigorous and forceful, sinking deep into the stone. Every line was powerful, and they all carried a strong essence of Void Law.
Qi Yunlei carved the formation very carefully, his fundamentals solid.
“A grand array is formed by the aggregation of smaller arrays; smaller arrays are formed by the combination of sacred patterns; sacred patterns are woven from formation lines; and formation lines lie within every stroke. Therefore, for a perfect array, every single stroke must be exquisite to unleash its power. But doing so makes my carving very slow, and as I progress, it becomes increasingly difficult to control the whole, with a feeling of slipping out of my grasp.”
Qi Yunlei finished carving a small formation, with void light patterns interwoven within it. After completing it, he looked up at Lin Feng, waiting for his response.
“Senior, your understanding of the Dao of Arrays is not inferior to mine. But as you said, because you carve every stroke carefully, it’s easy to control at the beginning. However, as the formation grows larger, you gradually lose control. This means the formations you carve have limitations and can only reach a certain level. Grand arrays will forever be beyond your ability to carve. This is a matter of natural talent. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect, and it will improve over time.”
Lin Feng smiled, then suddenly pressed his palm down onto the stone table. In an instant, a series of patterns interwove, possessing a terrifying coherence, as if they were naturally formed. By the time Lin Feng had pressed down several palm prints, the patterns had already formed a small array. The two formations on the stone table were almost identical, but carved with different forces. Moreover, Lin Feng’s formation was far more fluid.
Qi Yunlei’s expression stiffened. Lin Feng’s words were essentially telling him that he lacked talent in the Dao of Arrays. To become stronger, he would have to temper himself through countless repetitions, using diligence to compensate for his lack of talent. Qi Yunlei was unwilling to admit this, but seeing that Lin Feng’s formation, carved with just a few palm strikes, was more perfect than his own, he had no choice but to accept it. He felt deeply discouraged, and for a moment, he even forgot the purpose of his visit.
But Qi Yunlei’s expression quickly returned to normal. He smiled bitterly and said, “Master Mu En’s attainments in the Dao of Arrays are beyond my reach. When my master and I were diligently studying the Dao of Arrays, we once received guidance from Master Jingfeng of the Wuji Palace. I wonder if Master Jingfeng is still well?”
As he spoke, Qi Yunlei looked up at Lin Feng, his expression calm and composed, as if it were just a casual question.
“I have been diligently cultivating with my master and have never concerned myself with the affairs of Wuji Palace. I don’t even know if there is a Master Jingfeng there. Please forgive my ignorance, Senior.” Lin Feng raised his head, his smile warm, effortlessly deflecting the carefully crafted question. This caused Qi Yunlei’s eyes to twitch slightly.
In truth, there was no Master Jingfeng at Wuji Palace at all. Qi Yunlei had fabricated the name. If Lin Feng were an impostor pretending to be from Wuji Palace, this answer would have exposed him. The seemingly casual question was laden with hidden traps, but Lin Feng’s response was even more ruthless—he simply said he had been cultivating with his master and knew nothing, not even whether such a person existed.
“I see. With such talent, Master Mu En still devotes himself to the Dao of Arrays. No wonder you have achieved such success. I can only admire you; there is no need for forgiveness.” Qi Yunlei shook his head with a bitter smile, then asked again, “Wuji Palace is located in the northern region of the Four Symbols Domain. Now, powerful forces are rising in that area, and several sects are trying to surpass Wuji Palace. That is why Wuji Palace is sparing no effort to search for the Imperial Palace left by the Wuji Heavenly Emperor. With your talent in the Dao of Arrays, Master Mu En, you will surely become a pillar of Wuji Palace in the future, perhaps even reaching the level of the Wuji Heavenly Emperor in his prime.”
“My master took me as his disciple but never allowed me to inquire about any matters of Wuji Palace. I have focused solely on cultivating the Dao of Arrays and training abroad. I will speak of other things only after I have achieved some success in the Dao of Arrays. As for Senior’s claim that Wuji Palace is located in the northern region of the Four Symbols Domain, I may not concern myself with external affairs, but I am not so ignorant as to not know where Wuji Palace is.” Lin Feng replied calmly, casting a meaningful glance at Qi Yunlei. By now, Lin Feng understood the purpose of their visit. Although he didn’t know who Qi Yunlei was, it was undeniable that the other party had become suspicious of his identity as a disciple of Wuji Palace. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have come to test him. What was meant to come had finally arrived, though much sooner than he had expected. Just yesterday, he and Mu Yi had discussed this matter.
“A slip of the tongue. Please don’t take offense, Master Mu En.” Qi Yunlei quickly said, then changed the subject: “Having seen your formation today, I have gained some insights. I won’t disturb your peace any longer. Farewell.”
“Mm.” Lin Feng did not try to keep them, nodding faintly. Then Qi Yunlei and the others left, soon disappearing from Lin Feng’s sight.
After they left, Lin Feng’s brow furrowed. He exchanged a glance with Mu Yi.
“Everything Qi Yunlei said just now was full of errors. Wuji Palace is not in the northern region, and no forces are threatening it. Perhaps even that Master Jingfeng was fabricated by him,” Mu Yi transmitted to Lin Feng. Before Lin Feng answered the second question, Mu Yi had already sent him a voice message, telling him that the other party’s words were riddled with mistakes.
Lin Feng nodded and murmured, “I’m afraid we are about to be exposed.”
His earlier response—that he had been in seclusion with his master—was undoubtedly the best way to cover up, but such a perfect cover would inevitably arouse suspicion.
Mu Yi nodded as well, realizing that exposure might be imminent.
On the other side, Qi Yunlei descended from the artificial peak. The group’s eyes flickered with uncertainty.
“Yunlei, what do you think?” Qi Yunxiao asked.
“The people and events I mentioned were all fabricated. But his answer—that he had been cultivating with his master—was very perfect. If I had pressed him on who his master was, he would likely have said his master forbade him from revealing it. But that very perfection makes it suspicious. This Master Mu En may not be from Wuji Palace.”
As Qi Yunlei finished speaking, sharp glints flashed in the eyes of Qi Yunxiao and the others. Mu En was not from Wuji Palace?
The sharpest gleam was in Qi Yunxiao’s eyes. If he was not from Wuji Palace, then what was his purpose?
“He is still a powerful formation master. Let’s go to the main hall and analyze this carefully,” Qi Yunxiao said. This matter seemed serious. They needed to discuss it thoroughly, analyze everything Lin Feng had done since his appearance, deduce his intentions, and decide what attitude Qi Tian Fortress should adopt toward this counterfeit formation master!
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