Chapter 454: A Profusion of Flowers Blinding the Eyes
Although she said she didn't care whether she was first or third, she couldn't help but feel a stir of curiosity. In the Western Lands, she was known as the Array Master, the number one in formations across the region. But when it came to the entire world, she dared not be so certain of her standing. Yet, having held the top position for so many years, she still had a competitive spirit.
Qin Mu was the Demon Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult, a man of vast experience and knowledge. She was curious to see who he considered the number one and number two formation masters in the world.
"Actually, Sister Yiyi, you may not know this, but I also come from the number one formation family in the Great Ruins."
Qin Mu's expression was sincere as he said, "That number one formation master in the world is my blind grandfather."
He Yiyi's dark, sparkling eyes widened. The number one formation family in the Great Ruins?
The number one formation master in the world was a blind man?
"Cult Leader Qin, do you perhaps have some misunderstanding about formations?"
He Yiyi said calmly, "Formations are the way of mathematical calculation. The simplest, like the Nine Palaces Formation—Kan, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Zhong, Qian, Dui, Gen, Li—represent nine numbers that do not repeat, summing to forty-five. Slightly more difficult is the Eight Trigrams Formation, which evolves from eight to sixty-four variations, endless in its permutations. Harder still is the Five Elements Formation, the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams Formation, with five, eight, and sixty-four variations. Even more challenging are the Taiji Formation and the Wuji Formation, where the circumference cannot be exhausted, and the formation's operation is calculated with extreme precision, yet still has flaws. How much skill in mathematics can a blind man possess?"
Qin Mu said solemnly, "Sister, look into my eyes."
He Yiyi was puzzled but carefully observed his pupils. Her heart trembled slightly.
She saw that within this young man's eyes, circles of formation patterns were slowly forming, evolving into the first heavenly layer. The mathematical changes contained within these patterns captivated her, making her lose herself in his gaze.
Before she could fully comprehend the mathematical changes in Qin Mu's pupils, a second heavenly layer began to form. The mathematical changes involved in this layer were even more complex and profound.
Then came a third heavenly layer, a fourth, and by the time it reached the fifth layer, the Jingxiao Heaven, the formation changes in Qin Mu's eyes finally stopped.
One layer of the eye, one layer of heaven—the mathematical skill within was breathtaking!
Qin Mu's current level of cultivation could only push the Nine Heavens Eye-Opening Technique to the Jingxiao Heaven stage. Yet the changes in his eyes did not stop there. A great sun and scattered starlight were born within his pupils. The sun hid in the depths, while clusters of stars shone and revolved around it like a galaxy.
In the main hall, the hundred or so leaders of the great families and clans of Yuncheng exchanged bewildered glances.
Now, He Yiyi was almost pressed against Qin Mu's face, the two of them staring into each other's eyes. The Array Master He Yiyi looked at Qin Mu's eyes like a lover gazing deeply at her beloved, lost in infatuation.
"Ahem!" An elderly woman with white hair coughed repeatedly, trying to alert their city lord.
He Yiyi snapped back to reality, her pretty face flushing red. She quickly stepped back and said seriously, "This blind grandfather is truly worthy of being called the number one formation master in the world. I admit I am not his equal."
Qin Mu's face also reddened slightly. He Yiyi had been so close that it made his heart race. He quickly said, "I used to study the Eye-Opening Technique with my blind grandfather, but I never sought deep understanding and didn't grasp the formation changes within it. My grandfather's divine eyes could see through all illusions, through changes in space, formations, and techniques. Later, when I learned the Daoist sect's mathematics, I finally understood the mathematical principles involved. The Daoist sect uses mathematics to interpret all things in heaven and earth, the operation of the universe. And the reason my grandfather's divine eyes could see through everything is precisely because mathematics is the truth of this universe. That's why I realized my grandfather is the number one formation master."
He Yiyi suppressed the strange feelings in her heart and said seriously, "If he wanted to break the formations of Yuncheng, it would be effortless. The title of number one is well-deserved. So who is the number two formation master in the world?"
Qin Mu showed an embarrassed smile.
He Yiyi's dark eyes widened again, and she exclaimed, "You are the number two formation master in the world?"
Qin Mu said sheepishly, "I originally didn't dare to call myself number two, but after seeing Sister Yiyi's formations, I think I can be number two."
He Yiyi's anger flared, and she ground her teeth audibly. She said with a sweet smile, "I dare not compete for number one, but I am unwilling to settle for third. Cult Leader Qin claims to be the third-best poison master, defeated Mu Yingxue, and made that girl admit she is the fourth-best poison master in the world. Now you claim to be the second-best formation master. Your studies are far too broad. Since that's the case, let's have another contest."
Qin Mu asked curiously, "How shall we compete?"
He Yiyi thought for a moment and then smiled, "Still here in Yuncheng. You outside the city, me inside the city, right here without moving. If you can enter the city and find me, I will admit defeat and willingly take third place. Not only that, but from now on, the He family and all its forces will follow your lead. If you want to support Nai Kui in reclaiming the position of Palace Lord, the He family will give you our full support!"
Qin Mu laughed heartily, rose to his feet, and strode toward the city gates.
In the hall, the hundred or so strong figures of Yuncheng exchanged glances. An elderly woman was about to speak, but He Yiyi waved her hand and said, "You don't need to say anything. I want to use this opportunity to observe the formation skills of the Yan Kingdom. If my formations are broken by Cult Leader Qin, then when the Yan Kingdom attacks in the future, Yuncheng will inevitably fall. It would be better to simply submit to the Yan Kingdom. If Cult Leader Qin cannot break my formations, then we still have a chance to fight. Withdraw. I will play this game with Cult Leader Qin—a game that will decide the fate of Yuncheng and the fate of the Western Lands!"
The crowd had no choice but to withdraw from Yuncheng.
The city gates opened wide.
Qin Mu had Long Qilin stay outside the city with Xiong Qier, then stepped into the city. Yuncheng suddenly transformed. All the buildings sank into the ground and vanished, while massive stones floated into the air, evolving into formations.
The appearance of Yuncheng changed drastically. To ordinary eyes, it was merely a spectacle of stones moving and forming various shapes, making it difficult to understand the formation changes with each movement. But to Qin Mu, it became a dazzling display.
Every movement of these stones brought him immense pleasure. The interlocking and cross-structuring of various runes delighted his eyes.
Whether it was towering walls or dense killing formations, it was all mathematics.
Circles of formation patterns appeared in Qin Mu's eyes. Sometimes he moved swiftly, sometimes he stopped abruptly. Other times, he would take out his brush to alter the formation patterns, or stagger like a drunkard, taking three steps back for every step forward. Occasionally, he would leap like a spring was attached to his feet, jumping between the moving stones in the air.
He would rise like a startled swan, darting through closing walls, or charge like a wild elephant, seemingly heading straight for a wall with suicidal determination. Yet just before impact, the wall would split open, allowing him to pass through.
He reveled in the exquisite solutions to mathematical problems, solving one puzzle after another, drawing closer and closer to the center of Yuncheng.
Everything in the city was changing. Even the main hall where they had been standing had dissolved and disappeared. The only thing that remained unchanged was the spot where He Yiyi stood.
The girl still stood quietly on a stone pillar, unmoving, manipulating the transformations of Yuncheng, altering various formations to block Qin Mu.
This time was different from before. Last time, Qin Mu had walked into a trap and was trapped in the city—it wasn't a fair contest.
Now, Qin Mu was breaking through the formations, which truly tested the depth of their formation skills.
After a long while, He Yiyi saw Qin Mu's figure. Her expression grew tense as she frantically mobilized massive stones to set up formations. Yet Qin Mu's figure still advanced unhurriedly toward her.
The place where He Yiyi stood was the center of Yuncheng, the eye of the city's formation. Qin Mu was now only about ten zhang away from this eye, and even the final layer of formations had failed to stop him.
Suddenly, He Yiyi gritted her teeth. Yuncheng rumbled as all the previous formations activated at once, turning into a deadly trap. The killing formations linked together, their power surging wildly, and they pressed down toward He Yiyi's location!
She had activated a killing formation that ignored friend and foe. Both Qin Mu and herself would be devoured and destroyed by the killing array!
As the Array Master of the Western Lands, inheriting the glory of the He family, she could not allow the family's reputation to be tarnished or the title of number one formation master to fall into another's hands. Even if it meant mutual destruction, she would protect the He family's dignity!
Qin Mu's expression changed slightly. As the killing formation activated, he flashed to He Yiyi's side, wrapped an arm around her waist, and with his other hand, he took out his brush and began to paint in the air.
He Yiyi closed her eyes. The killing formation rolled in like a tidal wave, engulfing them both!
She opened her eyes and found that they were no longer in Yuncheng. Instead, they seemed to be hidden deep within the city's spatial folds. The killing formation of Yuncheng roared as it broke through the painted world, still pressing down on them.
The painted world they were in was on the verge of collapse and destruction!
Qin Mu's expression was serious. His brush moved like a dragon and snake, its strokes changing endlessly. He painted within the painting. Suddenly, He Yiyi felt the pressure on her waist as he pulled her into the new painting.
They plunged into another painted world, where the landscape was beautiful, flowers bloomed in profusion, and the scenery was delightful.
But the next moment, the Yuncheng killing formation shattered this world within a world, pressing down with the force of utter annihilation.
"You're not using formations to break my formations."
He Yiyi looked up at the serious young man beside her and said, "Even if you take me out of the Yuncheng killing formation, I won't admit defeat."
"You can be the number two formation master. I won't argue with you."
Qin Mu laughed heartily, splashing ink with abandon, indulging like a carefree scholar. He wielded his brush freely, painting another world within the painting before the Yuncheng killing formation could destroy it, and pulled her through to the next painted world.
In this painting, the stars shone brightly. It was as if they had arrived in a dark starry sky, where each star was like a glowing gem adorning the darkness.
Qin Mu led her by the hand, stepping on the stars as they ran through the cosmos. His brush never stopped, painting a river of stars in the sky.
Behind them, the Yuncheng killing formation surged forward, but they jumped into the river and were swept away into the distance.
The river of stars flowed downward. Qin Mu, still holding her waist, was carried along by the current. His brush pointed and guided, and suddenly, he pulled her up and leaped onto a cliff.
He Yiyi had just steadied herself and hadn't yet recovered her composure when she saw Qin Mu outline a figure with his brush, then sweep his hand. He pulled her onto the back of a heavenly horse he had just painted.
The horse leaped out of the painting, becoming real. It galloped with a clatter, its white wings spreading as it took flight, roaring away, leaving the killing formation far behind.
Qin Mu raised his brush again, painting freely. A door appeared before them, and as it opened, light streamed in from outside. The heavenly horse carried them through the door. He Yiyi was stunned to find that they had arrived at a mountaintop outside Yuncheng.
Qin Mu lifted her off the horse and dismounted. The heavenly horse flapped its wings, raised its front hooves, neighed once, and then dissolved into ink droplets beside them, drifting away.
In the distance, the many family heads of Yuncheng hurried over, flying to their side.
An old man was about to speak when He Yiyi suddenly smiled and said softly, "I lost. Cult Leader Qin is the number two formation master in the world. The He family and all of Yuncheng will follow you wholeheartedly!"
Qin Mu was puzzled and looked at her.
A hint of tenderness brewed in He Yiyi's eyes, as clear as autumn water.